Florida @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( May 27, 2010 ) Atlanta 8, Florida 3
Edwin Rodriguez and the Florida Marlins haven’t given up on the season. And a successful trip to Puerto Rico has given them hope.
The Marlins now look to make up some ground in the National League East with one of the hottest pitchers in baseball on the mound.
Josh Johnson takes the hill Friday as Florida returns to the mainland for a three-game set with the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves.
Florida’s struggling offense came to life during the "San Juan Series" and helped make Rodriguez's return to his native Puerto Rico a happy one.
Florida took two out of three from the second-place New York Mets, scoring 22 runs in the process.
It was a welcome outburst for the Marlins, who entered the series averaging three runs in five games (1-4) since Rodriguez took over for Fredi Gonzalez on June 23.
The 49-year-old Rodriguez is more of a players’ manager than his predecessor, and the change in philosophy may be helping the young Marlins.
“He keeps the clubhouse loose. In my opinion, you win more ballgames that way,” backup catcher Brett Hayes told the team’s official website.
The Marlins have won plenty of ballgames with Johnson (8-3, 1.83 ERA) on the mound.
The right-hander went 3-1 with a 1.18 ERA in five June starts and is tied with Colorado’s Ubaldo Jimenez for the best ERA in baseball. Johnson allowed two runs and five hits in eight innings of a 2-1 setback to San Diego on Saturday.
The 26-year-old is 4-2 with a 2.17 ERA in 13 appearances against the Braves.
Johnson and the Marlins look to cut into their 8 ½-game deficit in Atlanta, where they've fared very well recently. Florida went 6-3 last season at Turner Field.
Things may not be as easy there this season, though. The Braves have won 17 of their last 20 games at home and are a major league-best 28-9 there.
Atlanta is trying to hold onto a tenuous two-game lead over the Mets without NL Rookie of the Year candidate Jason Heyward. Heyward was placed on the disabled list on Monday with a thumb injury.
The Braves won for the first time without him Wednesday, as Jair Jurrjens returned to the rotation and threw five solid innings in a 4-1 victory over Washington.
Jurrjens had been on the disabled list since April 29 with a hamstring injury.
Atlanta hands the ball to Kris Medlen (5-1, 3.15), who filled in admirably for Jurrjens, going 4-0 with a 3.39 ERA in nine starts. His strong showing earned him a permanent spot in the rotation.
Medlen will try to lead the Braves to a third straight win over the Marlins. Atlanta took two out of three in Miami earlier this season.