Miami @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 14, 2013 ) Philadelphia 2, Miami 1

Following a miserable series in Cleveland, the Philadelphia Phillies limp home to host the Miami Marlins in the first of four straight Thursday night. The Phillies had won three in a row before dropping a pair to the Indians by an alarming 20-2 margin. They managed three singles and nothing else in a 6-0 setback on Wednesday, falling to 1-4 against American League teams this season. Philadelphia allowed 31 hits in the two-game set.

The Marlins finished a 3-4 homestand with a 7-6 loss to the New York Mets on Wednesday, becoming the first team in the majors to reach 20 losses (Houston joined them later in the day). Miami rallied in the final inning to win the first two games of the series but lost a battle of bullpens with the Mets in the finale. Thursday's contest begins a season-long 10-game road trip that will include matchups with San Diego and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports South Florida (Miami), Comcast SportsNet (Philadelphia)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Alex Sanabia (2-3, 4.85 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Kyle Kendrick (2-1, 2.41)

Following a scoreless outing to open the season vs. the Mets, the 24-year-old Sanabia has slowly trended in another direction. He is 1-3 with a 6.08 ERA in his last four outings. Sanabia could have used a bit more support Saturday in Chicago, where he fell on the wrong end of a 3-2 loss to the Cubs. The righty surrendered three runs in 6 2/3 innings, his longest start since Sept. 27, 2010. Sanabia, who has more walks (16) than strikeouts (15), allowed a run in six solid innings at Citizens Bank Park on Sept. 15, 2011, in his only prior meeting with the Phillies.

Kendrick has been the bright spot in a season dominated by pitching issues for Philadelphia, and he is coming off perhaps the best start of his career. He limited the Mets to just three hits in recording his second career shutout Friday in Citi Field. The Houston native is 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA in his last four starts and has yet to issue more than two walks in any of his five outings. Kendrick is also 10-2 against the Marlins, the only team against whom he has double-digit wins. He went 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA vs. Miami in 2012.

WALK-OFFS

1. Marlins OF Juan Pierre is one stolen base shy of 600.

2. Phillies C Carlos Ruiz is 1-for-12 with four strikeouts since returning from a 25-game suspension to start the year.

3. Philadelphia has won at least 15 games in May for nine straight seasons.

PREDICTION: Phillies 6, Marlins 3