Miami @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 2, 2015 ) San Diego 2, Miami 5

The Miami Marlins set out on their nine-game road trip last week with hopes of taking advantage of a trio of losing teams, but have so far failed in that regard. The Marlins attempt to kick off the final leg of their journey on the right foot Monday as they visit San Diego for the opener of a three-game set with the Padres.

Miami began play Tuesday four games behind National League East-leading Washington before traveling to American League-worst Minnesota (19-43), but dropped two of three instead. After avoiding a sweep by the Twins on Thursday and collecting a second straight win in Friday's opener at Arizona, the Diamondbacks (28-37) claimed the final two meetings over the weekend to push the Marlins seven games behind the Nationals. Miami will face yet another losing team in NL West-worst San Diego (26-38), although recent history is not on the Marlins' side, as the Padres have won nine of the last 12 meetings. San Diego lost two of three in Colorado over the weekend but went 5-3 during an eight-game homestand prior to visiting Coors Field.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins LH Wei-Yin Chen (3-2, 4.56 ERA) vs. Padres RH Colin Rea (3-2, 4.74)
Chen did not factor into the decision for the fourth straight time Wednesday at Minnesota, surrendering five runs - including three homers - on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings of a loss to the Twins. The fifth-year veteran boasts a solid 57:16 strikeout-to-walk ratio but has given up 11 homers in 12 trips to the mound. Chen has dominated Wil Myers (2-for-12) and Melvin Upton Jr. (1-for-15), but he has struggled against Alexei Ramirez (5-for-14) and Derek Norris (3-for-9) entering his first career start against the Padres.
Rea recorded his first quality start in five turns Tuesday versus Atlanta but did not factor into the decision despite allowing three runs on six hits and a pair of walks over seven innings. The 25-year-old Indiana State product has yielded three runs or fewer in eight of his 11 starts since joining the rotation in early April but his last outing marked only the third time he lasted more than six innings. Rea is 4-2 with a 4.24 ERA in 13 career appearances (12 starts) at home entering his first matchup with the Marlins.

WALK-OFFS
1. Marlins 3B Martin Prado has at least one hit in every game during the road trip (12-for-25) and is batting a major-league best .410 away from home this season.
2. Despite going hitless in his final two games at Colorado, Myers is batting .395 with four doubles, six homers and 15 RBIs in June.
3. Miami OF Ichiro Suzuki has a combined 4,252 hits between his nine-year stint in Japan and 16-year major-league career - four shy of unofficially tying Pete Rose's major-league hit record.

PREDICTION: Marlins 5, Padres 4