Philadelphia @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( May 20, 2013 ) Philadelphia 1, Miami 5

If the Philadelphia Phillies expect to stay with the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals in the National League East, they cannot afford more injuries to their already offensively challenged lineup. The Phillies, though, will visit the Miami Marlins on Tuesday without catcher Carlos Ruiz, who is expected to miss 3-to-4 weeks with a hamstring injury. Also, first baseman Ryan Howard could join him on the disabled list after receiving a cortisone shot Monday for his sore left knee.

The Phillies trail the division-leading Braves by 5 1/2 games after their 5-1 loss to the Marlins on Monday. Since defeating Philadelphia 14-2 on May 5, Miami's major league-worst offense has scored five runs in a game twice while recording three or fewer in the other 11 contests. Tuesday's matchup features a pair of rookie pitchers in Philadelphia's Tyler Cloyd and Miami's Jose Fernandez, who has not allowed a run in two starts against the Phillies this season.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN (Philadelphia), FSN Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Tyler Cloyd (0-0, 2.84 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Jose Fernandez (2-2, 3.48)

Cloyd has taken the injured Roy Halladay's spot in the rotation, but no one expects him to fill the two-time Cy Young Award winner's shoes. The 26-year-old pitched well enough to win his first start of 2013 - and seventh of his career - when he allowed two runs and two hits in 6 1/3 innings at Arizona on May 10 but received a no-decision in a 3-2 loss. With the recently signed Carlos Zambrano in extended spring training, Cloyd's stay in the rotation could be a short one.

Fernandez has yielded three hits in 13 innings against the Phillies, including one in seven frames when he won his first major-league game May 4 at Philadelphia. The 20-year-old Cuban also struck out nine in that outing and has 44 in as many innings. Fernandez received a no-decision in his last turn, a 5-3 loss to Cincinnati on Thursday in which he yielded two runs in seven innings. Freddy Galvis has two of Philadelphia's three hits in 38 at-bats versus Fernandez.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Marlins, who have the worst record in the NL at 13-32, have won two straight after losing 10 of their previous 11 games. They are averaging 2.7 runs and have been shut out a major league-leading eight times.

2. Ruiz, a .274 career hitter, was off to a slow start after returning from a 25-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's substance abuse policy. He was hitting .235 with two RBIs in 51 at-bats. Howard, who has missed the last two games, also is struggling at .245 with six homers and 22 RBIs.

3. Marlins RHP Ryan Webb hasn't allowed a run in 17 1/3 consecutive innings covering his last 13 appearances. ... Miami rookie OF Marcell Ozuna has 10 hits in his first 20 at-bats against the Phillies.

PREDICTION: Marlins 1, Phillies 0