Miami @ Philadelphia preview
Citizens Bank Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 3, 2018 ) Miami 1, Philadelphia 5
The Philadelphia Phillies can clinch their fifth consecutive series win at home when the play the third of a four-game series with the visiting Miami Marlins on Saturday. The Phillies improved to 12-3 in their last 15 games at Citizens Bank Park with Friday's 5-1 victory, giving them wins in the first two games of the set.
Jorge Alfaro had two hits and an RBI to help support a combined six-hitter as Philadelphia maintained a half-game lead over the Atlanta Braves in the National League East. Maikel Franco extended his hitting streak to six games with a base hit and a run scored, and the Phillies' third baseman is batting .323 since the start of July. He has five hits - three doubles - in 16 career at-bats against Jose Urena, who gets the start for the Marlins on Saturday opposite Zach Eflin. Miami has lost four in a row overall and five straight on the road.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Miami), NBC 10 (Philadelphia)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Jose Urena (3-10, 4.40 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Zach Eflin (7-3, 3.64)
Urena snapped a five-start winless streak with six scoreless innings against Washington on Sunday. That came two turns after he was rocked for five runs over four frames in a no-decision against the Phillies. The 26-year-old stifled Philadelphia through seven frames earlier in the year and is 1-3 with a 5.22 ERA lifetime against the divisional foe.
Eflin won six straight starts in an impressive streak through June and into July, but he is 0-1 with a 6.92 ERA over his last three outings. He served up six home runs in four starts last month after getting through all five of his appearances in June without allowing a single long ball. The former first-round pick, who is 4-1 with a 3.18 ERA at home, stymied the Marlins through six innings in his season debut.
WALK-OFFS
1. Philadelphia LF Rhys Hoskins has six multi-hit efforts over his last 10 games.
2. Marlins All-Star C J.T. Realmuto was 0-for-4 on Friday, snapping an eight-game hitting streak.
3. The Phillies reinstated LHP Adam Morgan from paternity leave.
PREDICTION: Phillies 5, Marlins 3