Miami @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 17, 2019 ) Miami 12, Arizona 6

Time is running out for the fading Arizona Diamondbacks, who sit 5 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee for the second National League wild-card spot with 10 to play. Arizona looks to keep alive its slim postseason hopes when it hosts the rubber match of its three-game series against the Miami Marlins on Wednesday afternoon.

Miguel Rojas went 4-for-6 with a career-high six RBIs as the Marlins recorded 17 hits in Tuesday’s 12-6 victory. Bryan Holaday and Austin Dean were a combined 6-for-9 with a home run and four RBIs for Miami, which won for just the third time in 12 contests and remained two losses away from suffering 100 for the third time in franchise history. Arizona has dropped eight of its last 10 games but received a spark on Tuesday from Christian Walker, who snapped a 1-for-11 skid with three hits and two RBIs. Kevin Cron added a pinch-hit, solo homer, but four relievers combined to allow 10 runs over the final four innings.

TV: 3:40 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Miami), FS Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Sandy Alcantara (5-13, 3.93 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Mike Leake (11-11, 4.39)

Alcantara turned in another impressive outing on Friday, allowing one run with no walks over seven innings in a hard-luck loss to San Francisco. “He’s getting better all the time,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly told reporters. “I thought that was one of his better outings just from the standpoint that he didn’t have his really good stuff.” The 24-year-old Dominican has allowed one run with a 14-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 16 innings in his last two starts.

Leake gave up four runs and five hits over six innings in a loss to Cincinnati on Friday. The 31-year-old Californian has struggled since being acquired from Seattle at the trade deadline, going 2-3 with a 5.51 ERA in eight starts. Neil Walker is 13-for-51 with a home run against Leake, who has served up 38 shots over 184 1/3 frames this season and owns a 6-2 record and 2.74 ERA in eight career starts versus Miami.

WALK-OFFS

1. Arizona batters have been hit by a pitch 67 times this season, which ties the club record.

2. Miami C Jorge Alfaro is day-to-day after leaving Tuesday’s game with a left hand contusion.

3. Arizona CF Ketel Marte was removed from Tuesday's contest due to back stiffness and is listed as day-to-day.

PREDICTION: Marlins 7, Diamondbacks 3