Miami @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 4, 2014 ) Miami 5, Tampa Bay 4

The Miami Marlins look to sweep the four-game Citrus Series and keep the host Tampa Bay Rays in a tailspin when the teams meet for the final time this season Thursday. After taking two from the Rays at home, the Marlins held on for a 5-4 win at Tampa Bay on Wednesday and are on the verge of a sweep of the home-and-home set. It also was the ninth consecutive loss for the Rays, their longest skid since dropping 11 straight in 2009 and the second-longest in the majors this year behind Boston's 10-game slide.

Tampa Bay ended Wednesday's loss with the bases loaded, finishing 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranding nine overall. It has hit .223 during the losing streak, with Wednesday's four-run effort snapping a string of six straight contests with two runs or fewer. Meanwhile, Miami has won 11 interleague games in a row and five of its last six road contests after opening the season 4-16 away from home.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Jacob Turner (1-3, 5.59 ERA) vs. Rays RH Jake Odorizzi (2-5, 5.13)

Turner followed up a scoreless outing in his first win of the year on May 24 with a rocky showing against Atlanta at home Saturday, allowing five runs (four earned) in five innings while walking a season-high four. That snapped a string of five straight starts in which Turner had yielded exactly one free pass, but opponents are hitting a healthy .327 against him. The former first-round selection has has faced Tampa Bay.

Odorizzi gave up five runs on six hits in just 3 1/3 innings at Boston on Saturday, matching his shortest start of the season and ending what had been an impressive stretch. In his previous four outings, the 24-year-old allowed four earned runs in 21 2/3 frames while striking out 31. Odorizzi's second career start was against the Marlins at home just over a year ago, when he gave up six runs and eight hits in four frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Miami's 11-game interleague streak is two shy of the all-time mark, last accomplished by the 2004 Rays.

2. Tampa Bay is 16-32 since a 7-5 start.

3. The all-time series is tied at 46 wins apiece.

PREDICTION: Rays 4, Marlins 3