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Marlins, Sanchez aim to secure series win over Mariners

Jun 26, 2011 - 4:17 PM (Sports Network) - While a scheduling conflict back home forced baseball to move the Marlins interleague series with the Mariners to Seattle, Florida likely won't mind the traveling costs if it results in a series win.

Coming off just their third victory of the month, the Marlins and red-hot ace Anibal Sanchez try to take the rubber match of tonight's three-game series at Safeco Field.

With the popular rock band U2 taking over Sun Life Stadium back in Florida, the Marlins are playing as the home team in Seattle's Safeco Field. While the advantage of no designated hitter and batting last didn't pay off in Friday's 5-1 setback, the Marlins were able to capture a 4-2 victory Saturday.

One night after the Marlins posted their 21st loss of June, setting a club record the most losses in a single month, Chris Volstad took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and ended up allowing two runs without a walk over 6 2/3 solid innings.

Hanley Ramirez donated half of the offense with a ground-rule double that brought home two runs, while Volstad added an RBI.

"That's a good team win right there," said Volstad. "Hopefully, we can start going a little bit."

One sign things could be turning around? Leo Nunez pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to record his 21st save of the season and avoid any potential late-inning drama.

There hasn't been much drama when Sanchez takes the hill. While June hasn't been kind to the Marlins as a club, the electric hurler has been immune from the struggles, going 1-0 in four starts this month to remain undefeated over 13 outings since his lone loss of the season on April 10.

The right-hander is 6-1 with a 2.90 earned run average in 15 starts this year, but hasn't factored into the decision of his past two appearances despite giving up a total of three runs over consecutive seven-inning outings. Sanchez yielded just one run on eight hits over seven frames against the Angels on Monday, striking out eight without a walk.

The 27-year-old, who is 3-0 with a 2.92 ERA in eight starts at home, makes his first ever appearance versus the Mariners.

Taking the hill for the Mariners will be Doug Fister, who continues to pitch better than his record indicates.

Fister has posted a 3.34 ERA over 15 starts, but is just 3-8. He did avoid a fourth straight losing start on Tuesday at Washington, but was also the victim of a bullpen meltdown that cost him a win. The 27-year-old gave up one run on three hits and one walk over eight innings, but the Nats plated five runs in the ninth to hand Seattle a 6-5 setback.

Despite Fister's solid outing, manager Eric Wedge said he didn't entertain the idea of sending out his right-hander for the ninth inning.

"We even debated sending him back out for the eighth inning," Wedge told Seattle's website. "It was so hot, and he was on base a couple of times and worked so hard. That was enough for him."

Fister, who has pitched at least seven innings in five straight starts, will face the Marlins for the first time.

It is unknown if Fister will have Justin Smoak's bat in support after the first baseman was scratched from Saturday's lineup due to illness. Chone Figgins was put into the lineup in his place and had an RBI, while Carlos Peguero had two hits, one a solo homer.

Jason Vargas, facing his original major league team for the first time, allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks over six innings to take the loss.

"The only pitch that I really felt like I missed was that ball that [Ramirez] hit in to the gap," said Vargas. "Other than that I felt that I was making the pitches that I wanted to, they were just hitting them."

Seattle and Florida are meeting for the first time since the Marlins took two of three matchups in 2008 in the Emerald City. The Mariners did the same in 2005 as the visitor.