Miami @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 15, 2018 ) Miami 4, Philadelphia 5

Even with all that has gone wrong since the last time they hosted the Miami Marlins, one thing has remained constant for the Philadelphia Phillies - their ability to handle their National League East rival at home. The Phillies hope to improve to 9-1 against the Marlins at Citizens Bank Park in 2018 as they attempt to close out their season series with a three-game sweep on Sunday.

Philadelphia held a 1 1/2-game lead in the East on Aug. 4 following a four-game home sweep of Miami, but an 11-23 stretch prior to this weekend left the club in desperation mode as it tries to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2011. The Phillies moved within 6 1/2 games of division-leading Atlanta and 4 1/2 of Colorado for the second wild-card spot after Saturday's 5-4 victory - their second win in as many days against the Marlins. Miami owns the worst record in the NL and fell to 1-7 on its nine-game road trip following a fifth straight setback. JT Riddle went 2-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs for the Marlins on Saturday to lift his batting average for the month to .348.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Miami), NBCS Philadelphia

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Jose Urena (6-12, 4.29 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Nick Pivetta (7-12, 4.64)

Urena has flashed the form over the last month that made him a 14-game winner last season and improved to 3-0 over his last four starts after holding the Mets to one run over 6 1/3 innings in New York on Tuesday. The 27-year-old has permitted exactly one run in each of his victories during that stretch while posting a 2.44 ERA. Odubel Herrera is 5-for-16 with two doubles and a triple against Urena, who allowed one run and registered seven strikeouts over seven frames in a win versus Philadelphia on Sept. 3.

Pivetta has allowed fewer than three runs in each of his last three starts but has not worked more than five innings in any of them and lost the last two. The 25-year-old Canadian, who is winless in six outings since posting a victory in Arizona on Aug. 7 with six scoreless frames, gave up two runs on three hits and three walks over 4 1/3 innings in a loss to Washington on Tuesday. Pivetta is 1-1 with a 2.30 ERA in three starts against Miami this year after going 1-1 with an 8.66 mark in four turns as a rookie last season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Phillies 2B Cesar Hernandez has collected three home runs, 13 RBIs, 11 runs and 15 walks versus Miami this season. Each mark is his most against any opponent in 2018.

2. Riddle is 4-for-8 in this series after going hitless in his first 15 at-bats versus the Phillies this season.

3. Philadelphia committed two errors Saturday and have 110 for the season - the second-highest total in the majors (St. Louis, 113).

PREDICTION: Phillies 3, Marlins 2