Miami @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( May 10, 2013 ) Miami 5, LA Dodgers 4

The Los Angeles Dodgers will continue searching for that elusive victory when they host the Miami Marlins in the middle game of a three-game series Saturday. The Dodgers have lost eight in a row for the first time since 2008 and may have hit rock bottom with Friday’s 5-4 loss to the Marlins, who have the worst record in the National League. The Marlins can clinch their second series win of the season with a victory.

Marlins outfielder Juan Pierre, who spent three seasons with the Dodgers from 2007-09, is hitting .385 in May after struggling to a .211 mark in April. He gave Miami the lead for good with an RBI single Friday. The Dodgers moved Adrian Gonzalez into the No. 3 spot in the batting order Friday and dropped Matt Kemp back to cleanup, and the move paid off with a three-run homer by Gonzalez in the first inning. Kemp has strung together a nine-game hitting streak but is still looking for his second home run of the season.

TV: 9:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Florida (Miami), Fox Sports Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Kevin Slowey (1-2, 1.81 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Hyun-Jin Ryu (3-2, 3.71)

The Marlins combined for eight runs in Slowey’s first six starts before erupting for 14 in his latest outing Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies. Slowey has done his part to keep Miami in games, allowing one run or fewer in five starts and five runs combined in the other two. He has the seventh-lowest ERA in the National League. Slowey spent his first five seasons with the Minnesota Twins before coming to Miami in the off-season and has never crossed paths with the Dodgers. Los Angeles third baseman Juan Uribe faced Slowey nine times while with the Chicago White Sox in 2007-08 and produced five hits, including a home run.

Ryu strung together two solid starts against the New York Mets and Colorado Rockies before taking a step back Sunday against the San Francisco Giants. He allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings as the Giants finished off the sweep with a 4-3 victory. His ineffectiveness was most telling in his strikeout rate. He finished with a season-low two after combining for 20 in the previous two outings. Ryu has been at his best in his three starts at Dodger Stadium, however, winning two of three decisions and limiting the opposition to five earned runs in 18 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Slowey is 28-16 before the All Star break during his career and 12-15 afterward.

2. Dodgers OF Andre Ethier is hitting .387 in 43 career games against the Marlins, his highest average against an opponent which he's played at least three games against.

3. Marlins OF Chris Coghlan has three hits in his last seven pinch-hit opportunities.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 6, Marlins 3