San Diego @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 27, 2016 ) San Diego 1, Miami 0

The Miami Marlins are trading wins and losses over their last five games and need to string some victories together to stay alive in the National League playoff race. The Marlins will try to bounce back from a shutout and stay within shouting distance of the second wild card spot when they host the San Diego Padres in the rubber match of a three-game series on Sunday.

Miami trails the St. Louis Cardinals by 1 1/2 games for that second wild card and can point to a lack of offense in its three losses in five games. The Marlins managed a total of two runs in those setbacks and were shut out twice - both 1-0 - going 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position on Saturday, with the lone hit coming from pitcher Jose Urena. Miami hits the road on Monday for a seven-game trip against the resurgent New York Mets and the American League Central-leading Cleveland Indians but will see NL East-bottom feeders Philadelphia and Atlanta a total of 13 times next month. The Padres snapped a four-game slide with Saturday’s triumph to pull a half-game ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the race to avoid last place in the NL West.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, FSN Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Luis Perdomo (6-7, 6.24 ERA) vs. Marlins LH Justin Nicolino (2-5, 5.57)

Perdomo is coming off his best outing of the season and snapped a three-start losing streak by holding Arizona to an unearned run on five hits and no walks while striking out five over seven innings. The 23-year-old Dominican had issued 10 walks in 17 1/3 innings over his previous three outings. Perdomo made his first career appearance against Miami at home on June 15 and earned a win while surrendering three runs in six innings.

Andrew Cashner was expected to make his first start against his former team in the series finale but was scratched due to a blister, prompting the Marlins to recall Nicolino from Triple-A New Orleans. The 24-year-old was bounced back to the minors last month after allowing a total of 18 runs and 33 hits in 19 1/3 innings over his last four major-league turns. Nicolino was knocked around for six earned runs in 4 2/3 frames in his last minor-league start on Monday.

WALK-OFFS

1. Marlins 2B Dee Gordon (rest) was held out of the starting lineup in each of the last two games but is expected to start Sunday.

2. San Diego rookie 2B Ryan Schimpf homered in each of the first two games of the series and is 5-for-8 with four runs scored in his last three contests.

3. Miami 3B Martin Prado is 6-for-8 with two RBIs in the series.

PREDICTION: Marlins 5, Padres 4