Marlins Turn To Brad Hand As Playoff Push Continues
MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) – The Miami Marlins are struggling to put wins together as the team tries to remain in the hunt for the postseason.
They'll have their work cut out for them on Sunday in the series finale against the visiting Atlanta Braves.
Julio Teheran could use a bit more than the Braves offered his last time out.
After ending up on the losing end of a no-hitter in his last start, Teheran looks to continue his success against the Miami Marlins in the finale of a three-game set Sunday.
Teheran (13-10, 2.90 ERA) and the Braves (74-68) weren't at their best in Monday's 7-0 loss to Philadelphia. Cole Hamels and three relievers combined on a no-hitter, while the All-Star right-hander gave up five runs - two earned - with four walks in 6 2-3 innings after winning his two previous starts by yielding one run in 12 1-3.
"I was trying to do the same thing I had been doing all year," Teheran told MLB's official website. "I made a couple mistakes that cost me a couple of runs."
Facing the Marlins (68-72) may be just what Teheran needs to get back on track. He's 4-0 with a 2.31 ERA in seven starts against them, compiling a 1.69 ERA and 1-0 record in three meetings this year.
Teheran allowed two runs and left with one out in the eighth inning of a 3-2 win at Miami on May 30, winning his third straight start there. He's also kept slugger Giancarlo Stanton quiet, limiting him to a double and a homer in 18 at-bats.
Atlanta hasn't scored much during a 3-4 stretch, hitting .204 while averaging 2.1 runs. However, the Braves have scored 14 times while winning two of three, including Saturday's 4-3 victory that came after Evan Gattis had a 10th-inning triple changed to a homer when video reviews showed it hit the wall above the yellow line.
"It was one of those things - weird," Gattis said. "I saw it kick off and he didn't have the ball so I had to get to third.
"We want to carry it over. We have a quick turnaround but we want to feed off of this and get a win (Sunday)."
Atlanta is tied with Milwaukee for the NL's second wild-card spot, one-half game ahead of Pittsburgh.
Gattis is a likely candidate to make a difference in that race after getting three hits Saturday, matching his total in 19 at-bats over his previous six games. The catcher has batted .321 with six homers and 16 RBIs in 14 career games in Miami.
The Marlins, five back in the wild-card race, are turning to Brad Hand (2-6, 4.76) with Henderson Alvarez nursing a strained left oblique. The All-Star's status could be determined after a bullpen session Sunday.
Hand is 0-4 with a 5.83 ERA over his last five starts, giving up four runs and two homers in 4 1-3 innings of a 7-4 loss at Colorado in his latest Aug. 24.
The left-hander was called from the bullpen after Alvarez got hurt Monday, allowing two runs and throwing 58 pitches in three innings while failing to earn a decision in a 9-6 win over the New York Mets.
Hand is getting his first start against the Braves since 2011, when he lost three outings versus them behind a 6.06 ERA. He permitted two runs in one inning of relief in a 9-3 win in his only season meeting with Atlanta on April 30.
Stanton is looking to bounce back after going 0 for 5 on Saturday. He was 7 for 17 (.412) with two doubles, three homers and six RBIs over the four previous games as he continued to make his case for NL MVP.
Stanton, though, is hitting .212 (7 for 33) with two homers and seven RBIs in eight home meetings versus Atlanta.
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