Cincinnati @ Miami preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 21, 2015 ) Miami 2, Cincinnati 5

The Miami Marlins have had little to celebrate on the field this season aside from several majestic home runs from Giancarlo Stanton, but Jose Fernandez’s return is a definite bright spot. Fernandez aims for his second win in as many starts after a 14-month layoff when the Marlins host the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a four-game series on Thursday.

Fernandez, who underwent Tommy John elbow surgery last season, homered against San Francisco last week to go along with six solid innings on the mound. Miami should be happy to return home following a 1-4 road trip that ended with a four-game slide and a total of eight runs scored in those four contests. The Reds are coming off an unplanned day off after a rainout in Washington on Wednesday but won the first two games by a combined score of 8-2 as All-Star snub Joey Votto went 5-for-10. Votto will try to better a career 1-for-4 line against Fernandez while rookie Michael Lorenzen gets the nod for Cincinnati.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Cincinnati), FSN Florida (Miami)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Reds RH Michael Lorenzen (3-3, 3.58 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Jose Fernandez (1-0, 4.50)

Lorenzen had a string of three straight starts allowing two or fewer runs come to an end against Milwaukee on Friday, when he was reached for three runs on five hits and a pair of walks in four innings to suffer the loss. The rookie gave up a pair of home runs in that outing and has surrendered at least one in five of his last six turns. Lorenzen faced Washington on May 31 and had an unusual day, yielding two runs on only one hit but walking a career-high six in 6 1/3 frames.

Fernandez scattered three runs and seven hits against the Giants last Thursday and most impressively did not walk a batter while striking out six. The 22-year-old had little trouble finding his former velocity in the outing. Fernandez is 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA in two career starts against Cincinnati while walking six in 11 total innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Reds 3B Todd Frazier will be the No. 2 seed in Monday’s Home Run Derby and will take on Rangers slugger Prince Fielder in the first round.

2. Miami 1B Jeff Baker (oblique) sat out Wednesday and is day-to-day.

3. Votto’s five hits in the series match his total from the previous 11 games.

PREDICTION: Marlins 3, Reds 2