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Pirates-Marlins Preview

Oct 2, 2010 - 3:19 AM By PAUL DIGIACOMO STATS Senior Editor

Pittsburgh (56-103) at Florida (78-81), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates have two games left to avoid finishing tied for the worst road record in a season in major league history.

They'll send a pitcher to the mound Saturday night that hasn't won away from home all season.

Charlie Morton looks to help keep Pittsburgh out of the record book when he faces the Florida Marlins.

The Pirates (57-103) entered their final series of the season Thursday night in Florida with a 16-61 mark on the road. They lost the opener 11-9 but bounced back to win 5-1 on Friday to move to 17-62 away from home.

Pittsburgh now has two chances to distance itself from the 1963 New York Mets, who own the worst road record in a 162-game season at 17-64.

"We've played some really bad games on the road, I'm not going to lie. But we've also played some very good games on the road that we've either lost late or couldn't quite finish off," manager John Russell told the Pirates' official website before this series.

"I think that has something to do with a young team - learning how to win those games on the road. We're very close a lot of times."

Morton (2-11, 7.94 ERA) will be making his final start in what has been a poor season for the right-hander. He was 1-10 with a 10.03 ERA heading into September but has gone 1-1 with a 4.33 ERA over his last five starts.

Morton is 0-7 with a 9.80 ERA in 10 road outings this season - with the Pirates losing each one - and has five victories and a 7.12 ERA in 27 career starts away from home. He didn't receive a decision after allowing four runs and 10 hits over six innings of a 6-4 loss at St. Louis on Monday.

"I think if I go out and pitch well, I'll get a win. That's the attitude I have to have," he said.

Morton allowed one hit over six shutout innings in his last start against Florida, a 7-4 win at Sun Life Stadium on July 3, 2009. He is 2-1 with a 4.29 ERA in four outings versus the Marlins.

Florida (78-82) will counter with Alex Sanabia (5-3, 3.73) after the rookie had another strong performance in his last start. Sanabia pitched seven innings and gave up five hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out five in a 2-1, 11-inning loss at Atlanta on Monday.

The right-hander, who allowed one run over a career-high 7 2-3 innings to win 4-2 at Pittsburgh on Aug. 19, is 2-1 with a 2.22 ERA over his last four starts.

Rookie third baseman Pedro Alvarez remained hot for the Pirates on Friday, going 2 for 4 with a homer to extend his career-high hitting streak to 11. He is batting .467 over that span with five home runs, five doubles and 21 RBIs.