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Surging Stanton, Marlins host Padres (Aug 26, 2017)
MIAMI -- The Miami Marlins will attempt to further move above the .500 mark on Saturday.
A come-from-behind 8-6 win over the San Diego Padres on Friday gave the Marlins (64-63) their first winning record since April. Not only are the Marlins, who have won 11 of their last 14, looking for more separation from .500, but making additional ground in the NL Wild Card race.
"We knew we had to get back to .500 to do anything," manager Don Mattingly said.
Miami's current surge is fueled by power. The Marlins hit 10 home runs in their recently-concluded four game series at Philadelphia. Mattingly, however, would like to see the Marlins also use some different methods to get the wins.
"We're swinging the bats good right now," Mattingly said. "I don't think you can do that over a long period. I'd like to have some different style of game."
The Marlins' back end of the rotation has been in a state of flux for most of the season and Mattingly will go with Odrisamer Despaigne to start the second game of the series against the Padres.
Despaigne (0-1, 4.49 ERA) will make his second start of the season. The native of Cuba lasted 4 2/3 innings in an 11-3 loss against the New York Mets on May 6 in in his other start. Since being recalled from Triple-A New Orleans July 28, Despaigne has made seven relief appearances
Despaigne will face his former team on Saturday. He was in the Padres' starting rotation during his first two seasons -- 2014 and 2015 -- going 9-16.
The Padres will counter with Dinelson Lamet (7-5, 4.84 ERA) on Saturday. The rookie right-hander won four consecutive decisions before taking the loss in his previous start against Washington on August 20 when he gave up three runs on three hits and six walks over 4 2/3 innings.
Lament will be charged with trying to cool Marlins' slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who homered twice and drove in five runs Friday night. He has hit 16 home runs in August and his multi-homer performance was his ninth of the season.
"He's good, he's hot, you don't want to pitch to him in certain situations, but you have to when nobody's on and you have to when it's just a guy on first base in the first inning," Padres manager Andy Green told the San Diego Union Tribune. "We missed those pitches. To his credit, he crushed them."
Green will be looking for another strong night from the top of the Padres lineup. The top three hitters (Manuel Margot, Carlos Asuaje and Jose Pirela) were a combined 8-for-13 against the Marlins in Friday's loss.
Second place hitter Asuaje went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer, in his return home. Asuaje lives in neighboring Weston and played collegiate baseball at Nova Southeastern University.
The rookie second baseman estimates he had approximately 40 family and friends watching him Friday, but said he doesn't feel pressure playing at home.
"At the end of the day that's your main support group anyway," Asuaje said. "It's a great experience having the family here."
