Florida @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 14, 2011 ) Florida 6, Chi. Cubs 3

THE STORY: Resurgent Florida looks for its seventh straight win when it plays the second of a four-game series with the Cubs in Chicago on Friday afternoon. The Marlins were on the brink of defeat in Thursday's opener before exploding for sixth runs in the ninth inning of a 6-3 victory. Chicago closer Carlos Marmol surrendered five runs without retiring a batter, with the key blow coming on a three-run pinch-hit double by Greg Dobbs.

TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, Fox Sports (Florida), WGN (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUPS: Marlins RH Ricky Nolasco (6-5, 3.70) vs. Cubs RH Ryan Dempster (6-6, 5.01)

Nolasco has been one of the hottest pitchers in baseball of late, allowing just two earned runs and 18 hits in 25 innings over his last three starts. He has pitched a pair of complete games, including a five-hit shutout at Oakland on June 29. In a May 18 start against Chicago, Nolasco gave up five runs (four earned) in six innings of work, but he is 3-1 with a 3.09 in five career starts against the Cubs. Chicago hitters are a combined 23-for-74 (.311) with six home runs against him.

Dempster has settled down a bit in the past few weeks, lowering his ERA by nearly two runs since giving up five runs in five innings against Nolasco and Florida on May 18 (neither starter factored in the decision). He earned the win in his last outing, giving up three runs in five innings at Pittsburgh on July 9, but he has thrown just 83 and 87 pitches in his last two starts. Dempster is 3-1 with a 2.54 ERA in 15 career games (five starts) against the Marlins.

ABOUT THE MARLINS (44-48): Take away an embarrassing 5-26 stretch that lasted much of June, and Florida would rate among the best teams in baseball. Instead, the Marlins are just now recovering from a stretch that resulted in a managerial change, bringing 80-year-old Jack McKeon back to the bench. Florida is 17-18 in one-run games this season, but had a 14-5 mark in such contests before losing 13 of them in a row, including an 0-12 June. The pitching staff has allowed just 11 runs in the last five games.

ABOUT THE CUBS (37-56): Chicago's pitching staff, which ranks among the worst in baseball in most major categories, came into the Florida series having allowed an MLB-high 349 walks, and it added an incredible nine to that total in Thursday's defeat. The Cubs' bullpen was responsible for six of those free passes, all of which came in the ninth inning. Closer Carlos Marmol blew his seventh save of the year and second in his last three appearances, giving up five earned runs on four walks and a hit without retiring a single hitter. The meltdown ruined a rare quality start, as Matt Garza wound up with a no-decision despite tossing seven shutout innings.

FINAL PITCH: Though they rank near the bottom of the National League in runs scored, the Marlins lead the league in first-inning runs with 66.