San Francisco @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 23, 2013 ) Miami 7, San Francisco 2

The San Francisco Giants won two of the past three World Series but somehow find themselves closer to the bottom of the National League than the top. The Miami Marlins, who host the Giants on Friday, are the team holding down the final spot in the NL standings, 6 1/2 games worse than San Francisco. The Marlins own the worst offense in the majors but have ridden their pitching to two straight wins.

The Giants were on the verge of a fourth straight loss before Hector Sanchez delivered a pinch-hit, three-run homer in the ninth inning to spark a 4-3 win over the Washington Nationals on Thursday. San Francisco’s starting pitchers have put the team in a whole over the last week. The Giants’ bullpen was forced to work overtime when the starters failed to get out of the fifth inning in two of the last three contests.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Chad Gaudin (5-2, 2.42 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Nathan Eovaldi (2-2, 2.82)

Gaudin is one of the most reliable starting pitchers on the staff at the moment and is aiming to allow one or no runs for the eighth time in nine outings on Friday. The converted reliever held Baltimore to an unearned run on two hits last week but did not factor in the decision. Gaudin, who spent 2012 with the Marlins, pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings against Miami on June 20.

Eovaldi has been just as strong as Gaudin recently but has no wins to show for the effort. The 23-year-old yielded one hit in seven scoreless innings last week at Atlanta but is 0-1 in his last four starts despite a 1.04 ERA. Eovaldi struck out seven and surrendered two runs on four hits to beat San Francisco on June 23.

WALK-OFFS

1. Marlins OF Chris Coghlan (back nerve) has been playing 3B in a rehab assignment as he transitions back to the position.

2. Giants RHP Sandy Rosario took a comebacker off the sternum on Thursday and is day-to-day.

3. San Francisco CF Angel Pagan (left hamstring) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment on Friday.

PREDICTION: Marlins 4, Giants 2