• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Braves try to pin another loss on slumping Marlins

Jun 8, 2011 - 2:50 PM (Sports Network) - Since turning the pages on the month of May, June hasn't treated the Florida Marlins so kindly.

The Marlins are still searching for their first win of the new month and will resume a three-game series versus the National League East-rival Atlanta Braves tonight at Sun Life Stadium.

Florida has lost six in a row to begin June and fell to 0-5 thus far on an 11- game homestand following Tuesday's tough 1-0 loss to Atlanta in this series opener. Brad Hand made his major league debut for the Marlins and tossed six innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts in suffering the hard-luck loss.

The lefty did all he could to try to prevent Florida's season-long losing streak from reaching six games, but Alex Gonzalez's home run off Hand in the fourth inning proved to be the difference.

"We wasted another good outing by a pitcher," Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "Brad Hand was very impressive. His poise, he looked like he's been in the big leagues for a long time. He was outstanding."

John Buck had two of the Marlins' four hits as the club fell one game behind the Braves for second place in the division standings. Atlanta is three games behind Philadelphia for the NL East lead.

The Marlins will also host Arizona for four games on this homestand.

Ricky Nolasco will try to bounce back from a tough two-start stretch in which he produced a 0-1 mark and a 9.82 ERA when he takes the mound for Florida Wednesday. Nolasco was hammered for eight runs and 15 hits in five innings of an 8-0 loss against the Dodgers on May 29, then did not record a decision in Friday's 6-5 setback to Milwaukee. He allowed four runs and seven hits in six innings that day, but is 4-1 with a 3.99 ERA in 12 outings this season.

The right-hander, who is 1-0 in seven home starts this season as well, did not record a decision against the Braves in a 6-5 Florida win at Turner Field on April 14. Nolasco allowed five runs in five innings of work in that one and is 4-6 with a 5.20 ERA in 16 career games (15 starts) against Atlanta.

Atlanta has won three of five games this month and is 2-2 so far on a 10-game road trip against the Mets, Marlins and Astros. In last night's win, Gonzalez went deep off of Hand to supply the offense and Martin Prado had the other hit for the Braves, who got six shutout innings from winning pitcher Tommy Hanson.

Hanson allowed two hits and struck out six despite walking five batters to improve to 7-4 on the season. Eric O'Flaherty, Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbrel each hurled a scoreless inning of relief, with Kimbrel notching his 18th save of the season in the ninth.

"This is a big win for us," Hanson said on the club's website.

Braves second baseman Dan Uggla made his return to Florida after he was traded from the Marlins to Atlanta in the offseason. Uggla went 0-for-3 with a strikeout at the plate with a strikeout and is only 1-for-19 in his last seven games. His last homer was against the Phillies on May 15.

Atlanta catcher Brian McCann had the day off yesterday and has hit safely in eight of his last 10 games. He has recorded multi-hit games in five of his previous eight contests and is batting .344 with five home runs and 11 RBI over his past 16 games. McCann owns six homers and 18 RBI lifetime against Nolasco.

Braves starter Derek Lowe hasn't prevailed since May 6 at Philadelphia and looks to end his winless drought tonight. Lowe is 0-1 with a 5.40 earned run average during his five-start winless stretch, with Atlanta going 4-1 in that span, and did not record a decision in Friday's 6-3 triumph over the Mets.

Lowe was reached for three runs and seven hits in six innings against New York and is 3-4 with a 4.07 earned run average in 13 starts this season. In seven road starts this season, the right-hander is 2-3 with a 3.26 ERA.

In 20 career games (15 starts) against Florida, Lowe is 7-4 to go along with a less-desirable 5.14 ERA.

Florida took two of three meetings with Atlanta from April 12-14 of this season, but the Braves have won eight of the 12 most recent encounters between the NL East foes.