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Dodgers-Marlins Preview

Apr 10, 2010 - 4:46 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (1-2) at Florida (2-1), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Josh Johnson wasn't particularly happy with his performance in losing the Florida Marlins' season opener.

He won't have to stew over that outing any longer.

Johnson, taking the ball on his normal four days' rest, looks to bounce back and lead the Marlins to a rare home win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night.

Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez was initially planning on having Johnson (0-1, 7.20 ERA) pitch in Sunday's series finale against the Dodgers (2-2), but decided Wednesday to keep his young staff ace on his normal routine.

Johnson struggled against the Mets on Monday, allowing four runs, five hits and four walks in five innings of a 7-1 loss for Florida (2-2). The right-hander yielded four walks or more in four of his 33 starts as an NL All-Star last season.

"I had to battle pretty much without having any stuff," Johnson told the Marlins' official Web site. "I felt like nothing was there."

Johnson hopes things go smoother at Sun Life Stadium, where he went 7-3-0 with a 2.67 ERA in 16 starts last season.

In his only start against the Dodgers in 2009, Johnson allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings of a 6-3 win July 24 at Chavez Ravine.

Although Johnson had success at home last season and defeated Los Angeles, Florida has had trouble beating the Dodgers in Miami lately.

The Marlins lost Friday's series opener 7-3, dropping to 3-11 at home against Los Angeles since 2006. They've been outscored 92-48 in those games.

"It's just one game," said Florida shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who committed a costly throwing error Friday. "We're not frustrated at all. We're going to come back (Saturday) and win."

The Dodgers have won back-to-back games after dropping their first two of the season. Their offense has really come alive in these last two, combining for 17 runs and 24 hits after managing eight runs in the first two contests.

Leadoff hitter Rafael Furcal led Los Angeles with three hits Friday, and is hitting .362 with six doubles and 13 runs in his last 13 games in Florida.

Hiroki Kuroda had a stellar season debut Friday, limiting the Marlins to five hits and an unearned run in eight innings. Kuroda was Los Angeles' opening day starter last season, but that honor went to Vicente Padilla this year - and it was quite a disappointment.

Padilla (0-1, 14.54) was knocked around for seven runs and six hits in 4 1-3 innings in Monday's 11-5 loss to Pittsburgh.

The right-hander looked nothing like the pitcher that was so strong down the stretch for the Dodgers last season, when he went 4-0 with a 3.38 ERA in his final seven regular-season starts after being picked up from Texas and was 1-1 with a 3.63 ERA in three postseason appearances.

Padilla has pitched well against the Marlins in his career, recording a 2.92 ERA with a 4-5 record in 17 games - 11 starts - but hasn't faced them since 2005, while with Philadelphia.