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Jul 3, 2009 - 12:28 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Pittsburgh (36-42) at Florida (41-39), 6:10 p.m. EDT

Hanley Ramirez's franchise-record RBI streak has been a major part of the Florida Marlins' recent surge.

The All-Star shortstop will try to extend that run to 11 games Friday night when the Marlins open a three-game series against the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ramirez is hitting .475 (19 for 40) with five doubles, five homers and 24 RBIs over the last 10 games, driving in at least one run in each contest as the Marlins (41-39) have won seven games during the stretch. The streak is also the longest in the majors since Garret Anderson put together a 12-game run from Aug. 26-Sept. 7, 2007, as a member of the Los Angles Angels.

Ramirez's run has also upped his batting average 20 points to an NL-leading .348, while his 58 RBIs also leads Florida.

The 2006 NL Rookie of the Year had two hits and two RBIs to power Wednesday's 5-3 win over Washington, as the Marlins swept the three-game series.

"You've just got to keep doing your thing," said Ramirez, who collected eight hits and seven RBIs against the Nationals. "Everything else is going to come."

Ramirez has thrived against the Pirates (36-43), posting a .398 average (35 for 88) with four homers and 11 RBIs in 22 career games. But the Marlins have dropped five of their last six to the Pirates, who swept a three-game series at Pittsburgh from April 20-22.

Florida will give the ball to Chris Volstad (5-7, 4.63 ERA), who is looking for only his second win in seven starts as he faces the Pirates for the first time.

The right-hander is 1-4 with a 6.29 ERA in his last six games. However, he was effective in his last trip to the mound Saturday, allowing two runs and five hits in six innings while not getting a decision in a 3-2 loss at Tampa Bay.

"I felt good and I threw a lot of pitches, which is a good thing, because I'm getting my arm strength up," Volstad told the Marlins' official Web site. "It felt good to get back on track again and have a good one after a couple of bad ones."

The Pirates have lost four of their last five after squandering a five-run, fourth-inning lead to fall 9-8 in 10 innings to the New York Mets on Thursday.

Charlie Morton (0-1, 4.09) will take the mound looking to win for the first time since beating the Marlins last Aug. 28. The right-hander allowed two runs and four hits in six innings of that 4-2 victory with Atlanta. He wasn't nearly as effective in his next start against them on Sept. 2, getting tagged for seven runs and five hits in 3 1-2 innings of a 16-14 victory at Florida.

Morton has not pitched more than five innings in any of his three starts with the Pirates, who acquired him June 3 in a four-player deal that sent Nate McLouth to the Braves on June 3.

He allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings of Sunday's 3-2 defeat to Kansas City after having that start pushed back two days due to tightness in his right hamstring, a problem that also forced him to leave his Pirates debut June 10 after one inning.

"It was all right, mediocre, I guess," Morton said. "I got into some long counts and that hurt me."