Alcantara scheduled to start for Miami against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Pirates (31-39, fourth in the NL Central) vs. Miami Marlins (25-43, fifth in the NL East)
Miami; Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Pirates: Chris Archer (3-6, 5.73 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 61 strikeouts) Marlins: Sandy Alcantara (3-6, 3.67 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 52 strikeouts)
LINE: Pirates favored by 1 1/2 runs; over/under is 8 runs
BOTTOM LINE: Miami and Pittsburgh will meet at Marlins Park on Sunday.
The Marlins are 13-24 in home games. Miami has slugged .348, last in the league. Jorge Alfaro leads the club with a .441 slugging percentage, including 14 extra-base hits and nine home runs.
The Pirates are 18-21 in road games. The Pittsburgh offense has compiled a .260 batting average as a team this season, good for eighth in the National League. Bryan Reynolds leads the team with a mark of .364. The Marlins won the last meeting 4-3. Pablo Lopez earned his fifth victory and Harold Ramirez went 3-for-4 with an RBI for Miami. Geoff Hartlieb registered his first loss for Pittsburgh.
TOP PERFORMERS: Alfaro leads the Marlins with nine home runs and is batting .271. Brian Anderson is 10-for-36 with three doubles, a home run and five RBIs over the last 10 games for Miami.
Josh Bell leads the Pirates with 48 extra base hits and has 64 RBIs. Colin Moran is 8-for-35 with a double, three home runs and 10 RBIs over the last 10 games for Pittsburgh.
LAST 10 GAMES: Marlins: 3-7, .237 batting average, 4.40 ERA, outscored by 17 runs
Pirates: 2-8, .278 batting average, 5.89 ERA, outscored by six runs
Marlins Injuries: Jose Urena: 60-day IL (back), Drew Steckenrider: 60-day IL (elbow), Caleb Smith: 10-day IL (hip), Riley Ferrell: 60-day IL (bicep), Julian Fernandez: 60-day IL (elbow), Peter O'Brien: 10-day IL (ribcage), Neil Walker: 10-day IL (quad), Martin Prado: 10-day IL (hamstring), Jon Berti: 10-day IL (oblique), Chad Wallach: 10-day IL (concussion).
Pirates Injuries: Trevor Williams: 10-day IL (side), Jameson Taillon: 60-day IL (elbow), Chris Stratton: 10-day IL (side), Edgar Santana: 60-day IL (elbow), Jordan Lyles: 10-day IL (hamstring), Chad Kuhl: 60-day IL (elbow), Keone Kela: 60-day IL (shoulder), Rookie Davis: 10-day IL (finger), Nick Burdi: 60-day IL (biceps), Lonnie Chisenhall: 60-day IL (finger), Erik Gonzalez: 60-day IL (collarbone), Francisco Cervelli: 10-day IL (concussion).
