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Marlins-Cubs Preview

May 12, 2010 - 4:29 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Florida (15-17) at Chicago (14-19), 2:20 p.m. EDT

Last week, Chicago Cubs starter Carlos Silva benefited from an offensive outburst to maintain his surprising unbeaten record.

The Cubs hitters have gone back to being relatively quiet since that game.

Chicago hopes to break out of its funk as it tries to avoid a season-high fifth straight loss and a three-game sweep to the visiting Florida Marlins on Wednesday afternoon.

Silva (3-0, 3.50 ERA) has been a pleasant surprise since the Cubs acquired him from Seattle for beleaguered outfielder Milton Bradley in the offseason and earned his latest win Friday in Cincinnati despite a somewhat shaky performance.

Silva allowed a season-high 10 hits and four runs over five innings, but Chicago provided him with more than enough support in a 14-7 victory.

Before that performance, the Cubs (14-20) had scored five runs while losing three straight in Pittsburgh. Since then, they've produced nine runs in four straight defeats and two in each game against the Marlins (16-17).

Another rough performance left manager Lou Piniella looking for answers but hopeful his team can turn their fortunes around soon.

"I don't know what else to say, I'll be honest with you," he said. "One of these days we'll start swinging the bats."

That lack of hitting from Piniella's team has allowed Florida, which had lost five of six heading into Wrigley Field, to win the first two games of the series despite totaling seven runs and 11 hits.

The Marlins, batting .200 since May 3, won 3-2 on Tuesday night while getting four hits and one walk. They scored all of their runs on homers from Cody Ross and Gaby Sanchez.

Florida hitters might not need much offense if Chris Volstad (3-2, 4.12) can continue his strong start to this month.

After getting tagged for seven runs April 25 in Colorado, Volstad posted a 1.69 ERA in back-to-back wins over Washington. He has a 2.81 ERA in four career starts against Chicago but hasn't recorded a decision.

If Volstad can record his first victory over the Cubs, it would help Florida clinch its first three-game win streak in seven tries this season.

The Marlins can also record their first sweep of the Cubs at Wrigley Field since May 28-30, 2007, and first overall sweep of Chicago since Sept. 25-27 that same season.

"Now we have an opportunity to extend the winning streak," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We're off to a good start, (and) we've got (Chris) Volstad going for us tomorrow."

Silva, meanwhile, is 1-1 with a 3.09 ERA in two career starts against Florida and last faced the Marlins in a 6-1 loss with Seattle on June 16, 2008.

He hasn't won four consecutive decisions since earning two wins to end 2007 and three to begin 2008. Silva was 2-18 with a 7.75 ERA following that stretch heading into this season.

The Cubs haven't dropped five in a row since Aug. 9-13.