• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Marlins-Reds Preview

Sep 19, 2009 - 4:33 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Florida (78-69) at Cincinnati (68-79), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The Florida Marlins ended their lengthy drought in Cincinnati with a stunning rally against one of the NL's best closers.

The Marlins will try to continue their run toward the postseason by recording back-to-back road wins over the Reds for the first time in more than five years Saturday night.

Florida (79-69) had lost nine straight in Cincinnati and 11 of 14 overall to the Reds (68-80) before scoring all their runs in the final inning of Friday night's 4-3 victory.

Trailing by two, the Marlins sent 10 men to the plate in the ninth with Jeff Baker's two-out single off Francisco Cordero driving in the go-ahead run.

Cordero entered the game with an NL-best 38 saves in 41 opportunities, and Brett Carroll added a key run with an RBI double off Jared Burton, who relieved Cordero, in Florida's first win in Cincinnati since April 18, 2006.

The Reds had been 57-0 when leading after eight innings and were the only remaining NL team with an unblemished record in that category.

Thanks to Friday's win and Atlanta's loss to Philadelphia, the Marlins moved ahead of their NL East rivals and into third place in the wild-card standings.

"We've still got a chance," said second baseman Dan Uggla, who is a career .313 hitter at Great American Ball Park.

Ricky Nolasco (11-9, 5.46 ERA) will try to bounce back from one of his roughest outings this season and help Florida earn consecutive victories in Cincinnati in the same season for the first time since May 26-27, 2004.

The Marlins could use a better effort from their right-hander than Monday night's 11-6 loss in St. Louis.

He ended a three-game win streak despite giving up seven runs and 10 hits in five innings after allowing three runs or fewer in four of his previous five starts.

Nolasco has never beaten the Reds in three career matchups, going 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA.

The Reds, meanwhile, will look to Bronson Arroyo (13-12, 4.07) to help them earn their sixth win in eight games. Cincinnati had won eight in a row at home before Friday's loss, which officially eliminated it from playoff contention.

The Reds have alternated wins and losses in the right-hander's last seven starts despite his 3-1 record and 1.38 ERA in that time. The right-hander has allowed two runs or fewer in each outing since Aug. 13 and earned a victory Sunday against Houston by giving up one run over seven innings.

He also struck out six and walked none for the fifth time in 30 starts this season.

"Bronson deserved to win that one," manager Dusty Baker said. "He's been pitching great, especially in the second half of the season. He was masterful tonight."

He'll try to break his winless streak against the Marlins - 0-1 with a 3.57 ERA in four career starts - to earn 14 victories for the fourth time in five seasons.

The last five games in Cincinnati between the teams have been decided by two runs or fewer.