Philadelphia @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 24, 2014 ) Philadelphia 2, Miami 1

Marlon Byrd is finishing a solid season for the Philadelphia Phillies after his name was often mentioned as a trade target for playoff-contending teams in July. Byrd looks to extend his hitting streak to six contests when the Phillies visit the Miami Marlins on Thursday afternoon for the rubber match of a three-game series. The 37-year-old outfielder has knocked in five runs over his last four games, including the go-ahead RBI in a 2-1 victory Wednesday, and boasts a career-high 25 homers.

Byrd has 84 RBIs this season, five shy of his career best with Texas in 2009, while playing 151 games – one short of his top total in 2010 with the Chicago Cubs. Miami is limping home after a strong comeback season, playing without slugger Giancarlo Stanton the last 12 games and losing talented center fielder Marcell Ozuna to an ankle injury before the Philadelphia series. The Marlins have scored only 10 times while going 1-5 in their last six contests.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH David Buchanan (6-8, 3.77 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Tom Koehler (9-10, 3.76)

Buchanan is winless in eight starts, but has allowed three or fewer runs in 14 of his last 15 outings after giving up 17 in his first four major-league games. The 25-year-old rookie permitted one run over 6 1/3 innings of a no-decision against Miami on Sept. 14 and beat the Marlins on June 24. Hernandez homered in the last meeting against Buchanan, who has won only two of his nine road starts.

Koehler saw his seven-game unbeaten streak come to an end his last time out against Washington, giving up three runs over five innings. The Stony Brook product surrendered three runs or fewer in 12 of his last 13 outings and is 6-5 at home with a 2.83 ERA. Domonic Brown is 3-for-7 with a homer against Koehler, who is 1-0 in three starts with a 2.00 ERA versus Philadelphia in 2014.

WALK-OFFS

1. Philadelphia 2B Chase Utley has not homered in his last 138 at-bats, the longest drought of his career.

2. Miami notched its 16th shutout of the season in the series opener and is one from matching the club record that was set in 2010.

3. Phillies CF Ben Revere boasts 47 stolen bases, the most for the team since SS Jimmy Rollins swiped the same amount in 2008.

PREDICTION: Marlins 6, Phillies 4