Marlins Hope To Bounce Back In Haren's Return To L.A.
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
LOS ANGELES (CBSMiami/AP) – The Miami Marlins are hoping that strong start from one of their top arms will get them back on the winning track.
A year after the Los Angeles Dodgers hoped Dan Haren would strengthen the back end of their rotation, he's become the Marlins' staff ace.
Haren makes his return to Los Angeles looking for his longest winning streak in almost four years Tuesday night.
Haren (4-1, 2.68 ERA) signed a one-year, $10-million contract with the Dodgers prior to last season and he went 13-11 with a 4.02 ERA, while his 186 innings triggered an option for a second year at $11 million.
The Dodgers instead sent him and Dee Gordon to Miami in a seven-player trade in December.
The move is paying off for the Marlins (15-18) - Gordon leads the majors with a .425 average while Haren tops the team in wins, ERA and WHIP (0.92) after putting to rest reports he would retire if traded away from the West Coast.
"This guy's prepared. He studies hitters," manager Mike Redmond told MLB's official website. "The four days he's not pitching, he's figuring out how to beat the next team. He's a great competitor. I've seen that really his whole career. He just doesn't make a ton of mistakes out over the plate. He doesn't give in."
Haren has won his last three starts with a 2.00 ERA, and he last won four straight with the Los Angeles Angels from June 24-July 10, 2011.
He yielded two runs and eight hits in seven innings Thursday and also helped himself with two hits, including a two-run double in a 7-2 win at San Francisco.
"I just try to do my thing," Haren said. "I haven't struck out too many guys this year. I've been fortunate with the great defense that we have to turn balls in play into outs."
Haren is 2-3 with a 3.49 ERA in eight starts as a visitor to Chavez Ravine, losing his last visit with Washington on May 14, 2013.
Miami has dropped six of nine following a 9-1 stretch, and closer Steve Cishek is having major problems. He served up a three-run walkoff homer to Scott Van Slyke in Monday's 5-3 loss to the Dodgers (21-10), one day after giving up two runs in the ninth of a 3-2 loss at San Francisco.
Cishek's four blown saves are the most in the majors and match his total in 43 opportunities last year.
"It's just very disappointing. All I needed to do was get the last three outs of the game, but I continued to let the team down," Cishek said. "I mean, this is about as low as I can get."
Gordon is also looking for a bounce-back performance after going 0 for 4 with a walk to end his 13-game hitting streak. He was also thrown out trying to steal second by Yasmani Grandal.
Grandal, who went 0 for 2 with two walks Monday, is 13 for 21 with three homers and 11 RBIs in his last seven games to raise his season average 120 points to .299.
The Dodgers own the best home record in the majors at 14-2 after winning five straight there.
Van Slyke has helped by going 13 for 27 with two homers, five doubles and 12 RBIs in his past nine home games after collecting three hits Monday.
Mike Bolsinger (0-0, 1.59) is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City for a spot start. The right-hander allowed one run and five hits with five strikeouts in 5 2-3 innings of a 3-2 loss in 10 at San Francisco in his only game this season April 23.
He went 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in 19 innings over four starts with Oklahoma City.
(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)