Miami @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 18, 2012 ) Miami 6, Colorado 5

The Colorado Rockies will try salvage a split of their four-game series when the host the Miami Marlins on Sunday, but the odds are not in their favor. The Rockies are 3-16 on Sunday this season and 9-35 since the start of 2011 on the seventh day. And Saturdays have been worse. They fell to 6-33 in weekend games in 2012 following their 6-5 loss on Saturday as Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton continued his assault on the Rockies. Stanton hit a three-run homer in the first inning and has gone deep in each of his six games at Coors Field. After winning the first four games of its homestand, Colorado has lost two straight and owns the worst home record in baseball at 25-39.

The Rockies will be without All-Star left fielder Carlos Gonzalez for the second straight game. Gonzalez was placed on the bereavement list Saturday after the death of his grandfather in Venezuela. Gonzalez will be eligible to rejoin the Rockies on Tuesday in New York. While Florida's Josh Johnson is only 2-2 in his last five starts, he has a 1.60 ERA and .161 batting average against during that span. He will oppose Colorado rookie Drew Pomeranz, who was skipped in his last turn and is winless in seven starts at home this season.

TV: 3:10 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Miami), Root Sports (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Josh Johnson (7-9, 3.73 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Drew Pomeranz (1-7, 5.04)

Johnson has lost his last two starts, including a 1-0 setback to Philadelphia on Aug. 14 when he allowed one run, three hits and struck out seven in eight innings. He lost at the New York Mets and won at Washington in his previous two starts. Johnson is 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA in five games (four starts) against Colorado, including 1-0, 1.13 at Coors Field. The Rockies' roster is hitting .178 in 45 at-bats against him with 13 strikeouts. Dexter Fowler is 2-for-4 with a double.

Pomeranz allowed four runs and six hits in four innings in Colorado's 9-3 loss to San Francisco on Aug. 11. Pomeranz, who continues to have problems with his mechanics, has pitched four innings in each of his last four starts. In his previous outing, he struck out a career-high seven, allowed three hits and walked three in the Rockies' 2-0 victory at Los Angeles on Aug. 6. Pomeranz has never faced the Marlins.

WALK-OFFS

1. Emilio Bonifacio is expected to return to the Marlins' lineup Sunday after missing 13 games with a thumb injury. Manager Ozzie Guillen would prefer Bonifacio play center field for the rest of the season and not bounce back and forth between there and second base. Bonifacio missed 46 contests earlier this season with the same ailment.

2. Rockies 1B Michael Cuddyer, who was playing his third game Saturday since returning from the disabled list, left after he re-aggravated his oblique injury in the seventh inning. He will return to the DL.

3. Colorado recalled OF Charlie Blackmon from Triple-A Colorado Springs to replace Gonzalez. He struck out as a pinch hitter Saturday. Blackmon was hitting .303 with five homers and 34 RBIs in 59 games with Colorado Springs.