Atlanta @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 10, 2013 ) Atlanta 4, Miami 3

Jose Fernandez makes his final case for National League Rookie of the Year when the Miami Marlins host the Atlanta Braves in the third contest of a four-game set. Fernandez has been the brightest part of an otherwise dismal season for the Marlins, the 21-year-old ranking eighth in the NL in strikeouts with 182 while holding opponents to a .181 batting average. The Marlins have announced Wednesday’s start will be the final outing of the season for Fernandez, who has pitched 165 2/3 innings.

Atlanta’s Mike Minor is not a rookie, but the left-hander has established himself as one of the top young arms in baseball in his second full big-league season. Minor ranks seventh in the NL in WHIP (1.05) while setting career highs with 13 victories and 162 strikeouts. The Braves have lost five of their past nine, but maintain a comfortable 12-game lead over Washington in the NL East and have a magic number of seven to clinch the division crown.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Atlanta), Fox Sports Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves LH Mike Minor (13-6, 3.06 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Jose Fernandez (11-6, 2.23)

Minor took a tough-luck defeat Friday at Philadelphia, allowing two runs on four hits with one walk and nine strikeouts to lose for the first time since July 21. He is 4-2 with a 2.12 ERA and has 47 strikeouts against 13 walks in nine starts since the All-Star break. He is 2-1 with a 3.66 ERA in five starts against Miami in 2013.

Fernandez has been dominant at home, going 8-0 with a 1.19 ERA and a .161 opponents batting average. He has won three of his past four starts, holding Washington to one hit in seven shutout innings Friday with two walks and nine strikeouts. The Braves beat Fernandez on Aug. 30 in Atlanta, scoring two runs on three hits in six innings in Fernandez’s only loss since July 7.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta OF Justin Upton left Tuesday’s 4-3 victory after fouling a ball off his right knee in the fourth inning and the team diagnosed the injury as a bruise.

2. Miami RHP Steve Cishek has converted 24 consecutive saves, but has had just two opportunities since Aug. 18.

3. Atlanta RHP Jordan Walden, who has not pitched since Aug. 21 with a groin injury, threw a pain-free bullpen session Tuesday and could return as early as Thursday’s series finale.

PREDICTION: Marlins 3, Braves 2