Major League Baseball

Marlins-Athletics Preview

Published Jun. 30, 2011 3:16 a.m. ET

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The good news for the Florida Marlins is June doesn't have 31 days.

Looking to end the worst month in franchise history on a positive note, the Marlins wrap up their interleague series with the Oakland Athletics on Thursday afternoon.

After a win May 31, Florida was 31-22 and just two games behind Philadelphia in the in the NL East. Once the calendar changed, though, so did the Marlins' fortunes.

Florida began the month with an eight-game losing streak and had dropped 17 of 18 when manager Edwin Rodriguez resigned June 19 after less than a year on the job. He was replaced by 80-year-old Jack McKeon.

With a 3-0 win Wednesday, Florida is 4-23 - and 15 1/2 games behind the Phillies - heading into the last day of June.

The Marlins, who had gone deep twice in their previous 11 games, got a two-run homer from Hanley Ramirez and a solo shot from Logan Morrison. Ricky Nolasco pitched a five-hitter for his first win since May 24 at San Francisco.

"I don't know if it's the cool weather, the thick air, I have no idea,'' he said. "I'm just trying to give my team a chance to win every time out. I guess it just happens out here for some reason."

The Marlins (35-45) haven't won back-to-back games since May 25 and 26 against the Giants.

After ending a nearly two-month winless streak in his last appearance, Chris Volstad (3-7, 5.42 ERA) gets the call for Florida.

The right-hander had been 0-6 in 10 starts before finally breaking through Saturday against Seattle. He yielded two runs and five hits in 6 2-3 innings, helping lead the Marlins to a 4-2 win.

"He went right after them tonight and showed us; this is the way I want him to pitch," McKeon said. "Hopefully the six innings will translate into eight innings and maybe complete games."

Volstad, who has never faced Oakland, is 2-0 with a 1.83 ERA in his last three interleague road starts.

It's also been an eventful month for the A's (36-45), who were mired in a nine-game skid when they fired Bob Geren on June 9 and replaced him with Bob Melvin. Oakland has gone 9-9 since the change, highlighted by a season-high six-game winning streak from June 15-21.

The A's, though, have totaled four runs in their last five losses. To spark the offense, Melvin said power-hitting rookie Chris Carter will make his first start of the season as designated hitter Thursday, and Hideki Matsui will play left field.

"I don't know if we consider that a mad scientist move but we have to look to try to do something, get some production in the middle,'' Melvin said.

Trevor Cahill (8-5, 3.09) will try to put together another sparkling appearance on the mound for the A's.

The right-hander has won each of his last two starts with a 1.15 ERA, 13 strikeouts and four walks in 15 2-3 innings. Cahill had been 0-5 with a 5.67 ERA in his previous seven starts from May 15-June 14.

Pitching at Philadelphia last Saturday, he gave up one run and three hits in 7 2-3 innings as the A's won 4-1. Cahill has allowed one or no runs 10 times this year, with Oakland winning eight of those games.

Cahill has allowed a total of two runs while winning each of his last three interleague starts in Oakland. He has yet to pitch against the Marlins.

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