Logan Morrison leads the Marlins in home runs on the young season.
The Florida Marlins enter Friday night with a 7-5 record and are currently two games behind the division-leading-Phillies. The Marlins have won three straight series taking two of three from the Washington Nationals, Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves. The three-game-series with Philadelphia will conclude a nine-game-road-trip; the Fish are 4-2 on the trip thus far.
Odds of a No-Hitter Unlikely
There is one pitcher that will pitch in this series that has thrown a no-hitter and that is the Florida Marlins’ Anibal Sanchez. Sanchez no-hit the Arizona Diamondbacks back in 2006. Sanchez however has struggled this year with an 0-1 record and an ERA of nearly seven. But who will not pitch in the series will be Florida’s Josh Johnson and Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee. Johnson in three starts has twice taken a no-hitter into the seventh inning. Halladay threw two no-hitters last season with one of them coming against the Florida Marlins. The Marlins will throw Javier Vasquez and Anibal Sanchez in the first two games of the series. Both pitchers have struggled mightily in two starts this year.
Hanley Coming to Life?
After a frustrating start to the season for Marlins’ all-star shortstop Hanley Ramirez showed signs of breaking out of his slump on Thursday night. Against Atlanta, Ramirez finished 3-for-3 with a walk and a RBI. Prior to Thursday night, Ramirez was hitting just .194 and missed two games in the Houston series with a leg injury. Facing Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels in the first two games of the series, Ramirez hitting would give Florida a huge boost if the Marlins are to take the series and make up ground on the Phillies.
Pitching Matchups
Javier Vazquez (FLA) 1-1, 8.64 ERA vs. Roy Oswalt (PHI) 2-0, 2.25 ERA
Anibal Sanchez (FLA) 0-1, 6.97 ERA vs. Cole Hamels (PHI) 1-1, 5.59 ERA
Chris Volstad (FLA) 0-1, 5.59 ERA vs. Joe Blanton (PHI) 0-1, 10.45 ERA
