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Phillies open series against Marlins

Apr 27, 2007 - 2:18 PM Florida (10-11) at Philadelphia (9-12) 7:05 pm EDT

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- The Philadelphia Phillies finally are starting to look like a National League East contender. The young Florida Marlins also are rounding in to form.

The Phillies look for their sixth straight win when they take on the surging Marlins in the opener of a three-game series Friday.

Barely missing the playoffs last campaign, Philadelphia lost six of its first seven games to start the season - sending its fans into panic mode.

But the Phillies have turned it around of late, winning five of their last six games.

However, they will not have it easy against the improving Marlins, who have won four of their last five games after a six-game losing streak. It is a repeat of the end of last season for Florida, which made a run at the NL wild card with the league's lowest payroll.

The Marlins will start Anibal Sanchez (2-0, 4.15 ERA), who has allowed just three runs in his last two outings. In his last start, on Saturday, the righthander yielded three runs - two earned - and five hits in five innings in a 9-3 loss vs. Washington.

He will be opposed by Freddy Garcia (1-1, 4.66), who notched his first win in the National League in his last start. The righthander yielded two runs and five hits in five innings in a 9-3 win at Cincinnati on Sunday.