Minnesota @ Miami preview
Marlins Park
Last Meeting ( Apr 23, 2013 ) Miami 8, Minnesota 5
The Miami Marlins own baseball’s worst record due primarily to their league-worst offense, but they have shown notable progress recently as they begin a two-game home series Tuesday against the Minnesota Twins. Miami (25-50) is the only team in the majors with fewer than 29 wins and finds itself 18 games out of first place in the National League East with an offense that averages 3.1 runs. However, the Marlins are 12-9 over their last 21 games, averaging 4.2 runs in the process.
The Twins are 11-9 in June and on pace to record their first winning month since last June, but have struggled to find their offense away from home. Among American League teams, only the Seattle Mariners have scored fewer runs (133) and hit for a lower average (.227) than Minnesota, which has scored 139 runs and hit .230 on the road. The Twins managed to avoid a three-game road sweep against the Cleveland Indians Sunday, but are only 3-6 away from Target Field this month.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports North (Minnesota), Fox Sports Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Kevin Correia (6-4, 3.87 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Jose Fernandez (4-4, 3.05)
Correia posted his first win in June during Wednesday’s 7-4 home victory over the Chicago White Sox after yielding two runs on five hits over 6 2/3 innings. The right-hander has been particularly sharp over his last three outings, boasting a 3.00 ERA and 19:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 18 innings of work. Correia, who collected a victory against Miami and Fernandez on April 23, is 4-4 with a 6.52 ERA in 16 appearances (nine starts) against the Marlins.
Fernandez – second among rookies in strikeouts with 81 – has been dominant this month, going 2-1 with a 1.65 ERA while holding opponents to a .158 average and striking out 29 in 27 1/3 innings. The 20-year-old took a hard-luck loss in his last start, giving up only two runs on three hits and two walks over 7 1/3 innings in Wednesday’s 3-1 road setback to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Fernandez struggled in the April 23 loss to the Twins, permitting four runs over five frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Marlins RF Giancarlo Stanton has recorded four homers and 10 RBIs in 13 games after missing the previous 36 with a right hamstring injury.
2. Twins LHP Caleb Thielbar has not allowed a run over his first 12 outings – a team record for consecutive scoreless appearances to start a major-league career.
3. Miami closer Steve Cishek has a 1.23 ERA over his last 16 appearances after going 1-4 with 5.40 ERA in his first 16 games.
PREDICTION: Marlins 3, Twins 2