Miami Opens Atlanta Series On The Road
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ATLANTA (CBSMiami) - The Miami Marlins are facing an uphill climb after losing 10 of 11, while the Atlanta Braves can't find a ladder big enough to get them out of the hole they dug themselves earlier in the season.
After winning two of three over the weekend, the visiting Marlins look to keep alive their slim postseason hopes when they open a three-game series against their National League East rivals on Monday.
While Miami resides five games behind the New York Mets for the second wild card, its encounters with cellar-dwelling Atlanta have resulted in defeat on eight of 12 occasions.
Christian Yelich recorded his second multi-hit performance in three games in Sunday's 3-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers and is batting .323 lifetime versus the Braves. Freddie Freeman recorded an RBI single to extend his hitting streak to 17 games in Sunday's 10-3 loss to the Mets. The 26-year-old has reached safely in a career-best 33 consecutive contests and hit safely in 28 of his last 29, batting .362 in that span.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins Andrew Cashner (5-11, 4.77 ERA) vs. Braves Mike Foltynewicz (8-5, 4.16)
Cashner may have qualms with Miami's stringent no-facial hair policy, but the 30-year-old had no issue with recording his best start with the club since being acquired from San Diego in late July. Cashner matched a season high with nine strikeouts and scattered four hits over 5 1/3 innings in a 6-0 rout of Philadelphia on Wednesday. The veteran issued just two free passes versus the Phillies, a respectable number considering Cashner allowed 17 in his previous four outings.
Foltynewicz settled for a no-decision on Wednesday despite permitting one run in six innings while striking out eight against Washington. The 24-year-old has turned it on over his last seven outings, posting a 4-0 record with 16 earned runs allowed in 42 1/3 frames. Foltynewicz owns a 1-0 mark in two career meetings with the Marlins but permitted three runs in three innings on June 30 before his evening ended following a 68-minute rain delay.
WALK-OFFS
1. Miami 2B Dee Gordon has hit safely in four straight games and five of six on the heels of an 0-for-16 stretch.
2. Atlanta LF Matt Kemp is riding a four-game hitting streak and is 15-for-44 in September.
3. Marlins veteran OF Jeff Francoeur will face his former team for the first time since being traded last month.
PREDICTION: Marlins 2, Braves 1
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