The hottest team in baseball faces its toughest test of a young season as it heads west.
The Miami Marlins begin their season-long 11-game road trip Thursday in San Diego before visiting the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants having won eight of their past nine.
Though the Marlins boast the best home record (17-5) in the majors, they have won just two of 12 games on the road and look to reverse that fortune during their third trip.
Right-hander Jacob Turner, back from the disabled list and scheduled to start Thursday, got a no decision in his worst start as a Marlin on Saturday. He allowed six runs on nine hits over four innings. Righty Ian Kennedy, taking the mound for San Diego in the opener, picked up the win for the Padres in the teams' previous series finale in Miami on April 6, tossing six innings of one-run ball with just three hits.
The next three starters for the Marlins all have ERAs less than 3.00.
Ace Jose Fernandez was in line for the win after seven innings against the Dodgers on Sunday before A.J. Ramos blew the save. He pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings for a win over San Diego in April. San Diego has gone 4-3 in righty Tyson Ross' starts. He has thrown six or more innings in four of them.
Righty Nathan Eovaldi bounced back from a pair of solo homers by the Mets in the first to go seven frames in his last start. He gave up three runs on six hits over seven innings in a loss to the Padres last month. Lefty Eric Stults allowed five runs on seven hits over four innings in a loss to the Marlins.
Right-hander Henderson Alvarez will close out the San Diego series looking to feed off his second complete game shutout over his past four starts. Left-hander Robbie Erlin has lost five straight decisions after winning his first start of the season.
San Diego dropped two in a row to the Kansas City Royals and has lost six of 10 overall.
"We just got to keep playing," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "I know everybody has made a huge deal of the splits on the road. This team is starting to come together. I like where we're at right now. I like the energy. I like the chemistry. Now we just got to go win out of our suitcase and I can't wait to get out there and get started (Thursday) night."
Here's a look at the upcoming Marlins-Padres series ...
SCHEDULE AND PROBABLE PITCHERS
WHO'S HOT
3B Casey McGehee (Marlins): McGehee has driven in at least one run in five of the past seven games. He has six multi-hit games with four runs, five walks and just six strikeouts over the past 10 days. McGehee and Giancarlo Stanton lead the majors for combined RBI with 61.
CF Cameron Maybin (Padres): Since coming off the disabled list, Maybin has a hit in nine of 10 games, including multi-hit contests in three of the past four. He has scored four times over the past 10 days.
WHO'S NOT
CF Marcell Ozuna (Marlins): Though he produced the walk-off sacrifice fly in Wednesday's game, Ozuna is 1 for his past 14 at-bats with five strikeouts since blasting a three-run homer on Saturday. His average has dipped to a season-low .270.
RF Will Venable (Padres): Venable has gone hitless in five of his past 10 games. He is 5 for his last 31 with three runs, two RBI, five walks and 10 strikeouts. His average has dipped below the Mendoza line.
STORYLINES
.441: Average with runners in scoring position for McGehee
23: Strikeouts for Marlins pitchers against the Padres during April's three-game series
.214: Team batting average for the Padres, last in the majors
5: Pitchers used (as well as five hits allowed) in San Diego's 4-2 win over Miami on April 6
QUOTE BOARD
"They put a lot of strain on guys' hearts, I'll tell you that. They're fun. It shows the resiliency. It shows we're not going to give in, we're going to fight until that last out. We're going to do our best to win the ballgame and never give in. It shows there's a lot of character in here." -- Right-hander Tom Koehler on the club's three walk-off wins in the past four games
"That home run sculpture at the beginning of the series -- they had to turn it on to make sure it still worked. Now I actually saw them greasing it." -- Manager Mike Redmond on his club's power numbers at home compared to last year
"I feel good. We were talking -- me and Hechavarria -- were talking about a walk-off, (he said) 'I never do that in the big leagues.' I said I never did either. When I was in the on-deck circle he told me, 'Me or you.' I said 'OK, I got it.' And then I did that. It feels great." -- Center fielder Marcell Ozuna on his walk-off sacrifice fly in Wednesday's 1-0 victory over the Mets
LOOKING AHEAD
May 12-14 -- Marlins at Dodgers
You can follow Christina De Nicola on Twitter @CDeNicola13 or email her at cdenicola13@gmail.com.
