Miami @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( May 21, 2015 ) Arizona 7, Miami 6

The Miami Marlins and Arizona Diamondbacks wanted to come out of break strong in hopes of making an unlikely second-half push for the playoffs, but instead began the second half with a whimper. The Diamondbacks attempt to put an end to a season-worst six-game skid Monday when they host the opener of a three-game series against the Marlins.

Arizona appeared to be picking up momentum by winning five of six before getting swept in New York by the Mets before the break and at home against San Francisco right after it. The Diamondbacks, who were in second place and five games behind the National League West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers following their last victory on July 8, find themselves in a virtual tie with San Diego 9½ games out as a result of their losing streak. Miami took three of four from Cincinnati prior to the Midsummer Classic, but proceeded to get swept by the majors’ worst team in Philadelphia over the weekend to fall 12 games behind Washington in the NL East. Arizona swept a four-game series in Miami from May 18-21, which marked the beginning of Dan Jennings’ tenure as the Marlins’ manager.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Miami), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH David Phelps (4-5, 3.86 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Rubby De La Rosa (6-5, 5.06)
Phelps logged a quality spot start July 10, yielding a solo home run to Jay Bruce over six frames that proved to be the difference in a 1-0 loss to Cincinnati. The St. Louis native has fared much better in the rotation (4-5, 3.67 ERA in 14 turns) than he has out of the bullpen (6.75 ERA in four appearances), although he worked 4 1/3 scoreless innings over two relief outings prior to facing the Reds. Phelps suffered his first loss of the season to Arizona on May 20, giving up four runs in five frames.

De La Rosa fell to 0-2 with a 10.39 ERA this month after surrendering a career-high three homers among the four runs he allowed over a season-low 3 2/3 frames in a loss at the New York Mets on July 12. The 26-year-old Dominican’s rough month follows a four-game stretch in which he went 2-0, 1.30 in four turns to end June. De La Rosa turned in one of his finest starts of the season in a May 18 no-decision at Miami, yielding two runs over a career-high nine frames in a contest Arizona won in 13 innings.

WALK-OFFS
1. Miami LF Cole Gillespie tied his career high with three hits Sunday and is hitting .395 since becoming a starter July 1.
2. The Diamondbacks finished with nine hits in their series-finale setback against the Giants, snapping their franchise-record nine-game streak with 10 or more hits.
3. Jennings told reporters after Sunday’s loss that Marlins 2B Miguel Rojas, who left in the fifth inning due to stomach nausea, would likely play Monday.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 5, Marlins 2