Miami @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 21, 2012 ) Miami 6, Arizona 5

At the beginning of August, the Arizona Diamondbacks appeared ready to make a playoff push after moving two games out of first in the National League West. Just three weeks later, Arizona is on the verge of falling out of contention after losing two straight to Miami. The Diamondbacks are six games behind division-leading San Francisco heading into Wednesday’s day-night doubleheader against the Marlins, who have won five of their last seven games. The Diamondbacks still have 15 games remaining against the San Francisco Giants and and Los Angeles Dodgers, but they almost appear resigned to their fate after trading shortstop Stephen Drew on Monday and placing starting pitcher Joe Saunders on trade waivers.

The Marlins could be without outfielder Emilio Bonifacio for a while after he left Tuesday’s game with pain in his right knee. Bonifacio, who has already landed on the disabled list twice this season with a thumb injury, will undergo an MRI exam on Wednesday. Right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, who has hit five home runs in his last six games, might not start in one of Wednesday’s games in order to rest his surgically repaired knee. With Drew’s trade to Oakland, the Diamondbacks will give rookie Jake Elmore an extended look at shortstop. Elmore was hitting .344 for Triple-A Reno, but he isn’t projected as an everyday player by most scouts.

TV: 3:40 p.m. ET, None (Miami), FS Arizona (Arizona)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Jacob Turner (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Tyler Skaggs (NR)

The 21-year-old Turner is making his Marlins debut after going 2-0 with a 1.98 ERA in five starts for Triple-A New Orleans. Turner, a first-round pick in 2009, came to the Marlins last month in the trade that sent Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante to Detroit. He earned his first major league victory on July 22 against the White Sox, giving up three runs over 5 1/3 innings.

Skaggs is making his major league debut after going 4-2 with a 2.91 ERA in nine starts with Triple-A Reno. Before allowing eight runs in his last outing, Skaggs had gone seven starts without giving up more than one earned run. The 21-year-old began the season at Double-A Mobile, where he went 5-4 with a 2.84 ERA in 13 starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Arizona OF Justin Upton left Tuesday’s game in the second inning with a hamstring injury and is listed as day-to-day.

2. Wednesday will mark the first doubleheader at Chase Field, which opened in 1998.

3. The Marlins are 18-11 this season against teams from the National League West.