Florida @ Pittsburgh preview
PNC Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 18, 2010 ) Florida 3, Pittsburgh 2
Although the Florida Marlins have been fairly quiet in the NL East this season, Dan Uggla is certainly swinging a loud bat as of late.
The slugger has belted 12 home runs in his last 24 games - including a solo shot in Florida's 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. In addition, the 30-year-old Kentucky native has an impressive 10-game hitting streak which has raised his average from .280 to .291 in the process.
Uggla will look to help the Marlins (59-60) cap a 10-game road trip with their third straight win on Thursday. Florida will face the Pittsburgh Pirates (40-80) in the finale of a four-game series at PNC Park.
The slugger can also credit Josh Johnson for the team's success on Wednesday. The All-Star hurler tossed eight strong innings to post his first victory since July 17 and Chad Tracy had an RBI single to power the Marlins, who are a distant 11.5 games behind the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves (71-49).
Pittsburgh also had its own power display in this one as Ryan Doumit and Andrew McCutchen launched solo homers and rookie Jose Tabata had three hits in a losing effort.
Looking to keep Uggla at bay will be 28-year-old left-hander Pat Maholm (7-11, 4.86 ERA), who has held the slugger to just three hits in 16 career at-bats. Then again, two of the three hits have left the park.
All-Star Hanley Ramirez can say the same thing as two of his six career hits off Maholm have landed in the cheap seats.
With one win in his last five outings, Maholm has been struggling on the mound as of late. The southpaw allowed three runs and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings in a 3-2 loss to the Houston Astros on Saturday.
Florida will counter with rookie right-hander Alex Sanabia, who was recalled from Triple-A New Orleans on Wednesday night to replace Sean West. The left-hander will sit with right knee inflammation.
Sanabia has posted a 1-1 mark with a 6.43 ERA in seven games - four starts - earlier this season.
His first three outings went well as he permitted just one run in 13 innings. As for the last one? Well ... not so good. Sanabia allowed seven runs and nine hits in two innings as the San Francisco Giants tattooed him en route to a 10-9, 10-inning loss on July 28.
As for financial matters, the Marlins signed veteran third baseman Wes Helms to a $1 million, one-year contract extension through the 2011 season.
The 34-year-old Helms is batting .225 with four home runs and 22 RBIs in 91 games in 2010.