Koehler Takes Mound For Game 2 Of Tampa Series
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) — Veteran Ichiro Suzuki has been on an offensive tear of late while teammate Marcell Ozuna seemingly can't be stopped at home. The Miami Marlins outfielders look to continue their respective torrid stretches on Tuesday afternoon when the club hosts the Sunshine State-rival Tampa Bay Rays in the second contest of their four-game, two-city interleague series.
Playing in place of an injured Christian Yelich, Suzuki collected four hits in Monday's series-opening 7-6 win and has 10 in his last three contests. Ozuna added three of his own to extend his home hitting streak to 14 games and has gotten the better of Tuesday starter Jake Odorizzi, albeit in a small sample size (3-for-7).
Tampa Bay continued to keep the scoreboard operator busy as it has erupted for 64 runs in its last nine contests, however its record in that stretch fell to 5-4 following its third straight loss. Evan Longoria saw his 10-game hitting streak come to an end in the series opener and is just 1-for-6 against Tuesday starter Tom Koehler.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays Jake Odorizzi (1-2, 3.81 ERA) vs. Marlins Tom Koehler (2-4, 4.71)
Odorizzi recorded his first win in his ninth start of the season on Wednesday, permitting a pair of solo homers for the only runs and hits allowed in five innings of a 6-3 victory over Toronto. The 26-year-old has been taken deep five times in his last two outings after yielding three homers in his previous seven. Odorizzi struggled with a lack of control in his last outing, however, issuing four walks after permitting nine free passes in his previous eight.
Koehler fell to 0-2 in his last four starts, although one difficult inning was to blame as a three-run third led to his undoing in a 4-2 setback to Philadelphia on Wednesday. The 29-year-old issued five walks for the second straight outing and his 25 free passes in 42 innings is cause for concern. Koehler routinely has kept the ball in the park, going three games without allowing a homer, and has been taken deep just three times this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tampa Bay OF Brandon Guyer is 7-for-14 with four extra-base hits and four runs scored in his last three contests.
2. Miami OF Giancarlo Stanton showed flashes of breaking out a prolonged slump, going 1-for-3 in the series opener for just his sixth hit in 16 games.
3. Rays CF Kevin Kiermaier (fractured left hand) is scheduled to have surgery on Tuesday and is expected to be sidelined for 8-10 weeks.
PREDICTION: Rays 5, Marlins 4
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