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Marlins-Cubs Preview

May 11, 2010 - 5:14 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Florida (14-17) at Chicago (14-18), 8:05 p.m. EDT

The Florida Marlins' struggling hitters did just enough to win their series opener with the scuffling Chicago Cubs.

Marlins starter Ricky Nolasco is hoping his teammates will help him next.

After receiving zero runs of support in his past two outings, Nolasco will try to help Florida clinch its first road series victory in nearly a month Tuesday night.

The Marlins (15-17) had dropped five of six overall and two of three to open a six-game trip before playing at Wrigley Field for the first time this season Monday night.

Florida, batting .210 over its last seven games, didn't get a hit until the sixth inning but scored all of its runs from there in a 4-2 victory.

Chris Coghlan, hitting .353 since moving back to the leadoff spot May 6, had an RBI double in the sixth. Ronny Paulino hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh, when Cody Ross also stole home.

"It was a little spark that we needed, maybe," Ross told the Marlins' official website. "We had been playing badly lately. It was a good win for us."

Florida's hitters gave Nolasco (2-2, 4.08 ERA) an average of nearly 5.8 runs during his 2-0 start but the right-hander hasn't been as fortunate in back-to-back losses.

He didn't help himself April 30 against Washington, giving up five runs over four innings of a 7-1 defeat. Nolasco pitched better Thursday against San Francisco, allowing three runs over six innings, but his teammates managed only one hit while he was in the game en route to a 6-3 loss.

Nolasco will face a Cubs team that's been outscored 48-26 while dropping six of seven. The majority of those runs came in the lone victory - a 14-7 win at Cincinnati on Friday night. Chicago has a 6.05 staff ERA during its slump.

Randy Wells (3-1, 4.86), Tuesday's scheduled Cubs starter, gave up seven runs in two innings Thursday in Pittsburgh. The 11-1 loss to the Pirates was his first in five decisions dating back to last October.

"It's terrible, unacceptable," Wells told the Cubs' official website. "I came in too cocky, too confident ... When we needed a win the most to stop the bleeding, I got lackadaisical, wasn't on top of my game."

While Wells has never faced the Marlins, Nolasco is 2-1 with a 2.86 ERA in four appearances against the Cubs (14-19), but he gave up six runs over six innings in his only start at Wrigley, a 6-4 loss May 3.

The right-hander will try to avoid duplicating that effort as he tries to lead Florida to its first series win away from home since taking two of three from Philadelphia from April 16-18.

The Cubs are trying to avoid dropping four in a row for the second time this season.

Alfonso Soriano had three hits Monday and is 16 for 34 (.471) during a nine-game hitting streak. The Chicago outfielder is 4 for 13 (.308) with two homers against Nolasco.

Cubs 20-year-old shortstop Starlin Castro, who set a major league record with six RBIs in his debut, will try to bounce back from a three-error performance in his first home game.