Seattle @ Florida preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 18, 2008 ) Florida 8, Seattle 3

THE STORY: The Florida Marlins are 2-20 in June, their manager quit and now they have to fly 3,000 miles for a home series. Due to a conflict with a U2 concert, the Marlins will travel to Seattle for the start of a three-game series vs. the Mariners on Friday night. Florida has been designated as the home team even though the game is being played in Seattle’s ball park. Maybe the Marlins will find the grass is greener on the other side of the Safeco Field fences.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, ROOT, FSFL

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (7-6, 3.34 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Ricky Nolasco (4-3, 4.48 ERA)

Even though he's not been at his best, Hernandez isn't the type of pitcher the stumbling Marlins need to see right now. He's been hittable, as evidenced by allowing 11 runs and 25 hits over 21 2/3 innings in his last three starts. But the reigning Cy Young winner is also capable of overpowering any opponent, as evidenced by strikeout totals of 13, 11 and 10 in three starts this year. Hernandez continues to be let down by his offense, which has produced a total of eight runs in his six losses.

Like the rest of his team, Nolasco has struggled mightily in dropping his last two starts and going 0-3 in his last five outings. He has been hit hard in his last two defeats, surrendering 14 runs on 16 hits in eight innings. Nolasco was 4-0 at one point this season, but has not won since May 24. He's been knocked around for 46 hits in his last five starts, including a dreadful outing against the Dodgers when he was battered for eight runs on 15 hits.

ABOUT THE MARINERS (37-38): Seattle comes home after being swept in a three-game series at Washington. Following this series, the Mariners have to turn right around and fly back to Atlanta. All three losses to the Nationals were one-run decisions, including a 1-0 defeat in Thursday’s series finale that dropped the Mariners below .500 for the first time since May 25. Seattle is last in the American League in runs scored and has been held to two runs or fewer 11 times this month. Ichiro Suzuki is batting .426 (20-for-47) during an 11-game hitting streak.

ABOUT THE MARLINS (33-42): Getting away from Sun Life Stadium certainly can’t make things any worse for Florida. The Marlins went 1-10 on an 11-game homestand at the beginning of the month and have yet to recover. The abrupt resignation of Edwin Rodriguez led the team to bring back 80-year-old Jack McKeon, who guided the team to a World Series championship in 2003. McKeon’s return seemed to have an effect on at least one player. SS Hanley Ramirez had a pair of two-hit games and sparkled defensively in the third game of the series against the Angels.

FINAL PITCH: The Mariners lost three straight one-run games at Washington, but it could be worse. Florida has dropped its last 12 one-run decisions.