Arizona @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 22, 2012 ) Miami 0, Arizona 3

The Arizona Diamondbacks are off to a much better start than last season and they are poised to keep building on it. The Diamondbacks have won seven of their last 10 as they start a three-game series at the struggling Miami Marlins on Friday. Arizona won its last two against to pull within one game of the first-place San Francisco Giants in the National League West. The Diamondbacks continue to get contributions from several players offensively while Miami has 15 runs in its last nine games.

Paul Goldschmidt was 6-for-11 in the Atlanta series, Eric Chavez is 9-for-19 the last seven games and Gerardo Parra is 9-for-20 over the last five for Arizona. The Marlins have lost five straight and eight of nine after being swept by the Cincinnati Reds. Rookies Marcell Ozuna and Derek Dietrich have added a spark, but the Marlins have scored 21 runs less than anyone in the league.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Arizona, Fox Sports Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Trevor Cahill (2-4, 2.70 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Kevin Slowey (1-3, 2.55)

Cahill has been solid, allowing two or less runs in five of his last six outings including last Saturday when he yielded one run in five innings despite taking the loss. The right-hander has given up only 39 hits in 50 innings of work and opponents are batting .223 against him. Cahill has not performed well against the Marlins, surrendering eight runs in 10 innings over two starts (0-1).

Slowey is coming off his worst start of the season, allowing 11 hits and five runs on Saturday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He had surrendered two runs or less in six of his seven starts before that. Slowey, who is 25-14 in home games for his career, has 36 strikeouts and 11 walks. The right-hander has faced Arizona once, yielding two runs in two-thirds of an inning in 2011.

WALK-OFFS

1. Arizona won five of the eight meetings in 2012, including a 3-1 mark at Miami.

2. Miami OF Justin Ruggiano leads the team in homers (seven) and RBIs (16), but is 3-for-25 his last eight games.

3. Diamondbacks closer Heath Bell returns to Miami, where he blew eight saves in 27 opportunities with the Marlins last season.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 5, Marlins 3