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Penny looks to haunt former team in series opener

May 7, 2007 - 2:38 PM LA Dodgers (18-13) at Florida (14-16) 7:05 pm EDT

MIAMI (Ticker) -- After facing the top strikeout artist in the National League on Sunday, the last thing the Florida Marlins want to see is Brad Penny.

Penny and the Los Angeles Dodgers visit the Marlins on Monday for the series opener of a four-game set.

Penny (3-0, 1.64 ERA), who started his career with Florida in 2000 and was a member of the 2003 championship team, is second in the NL in ERA and has yet to allow a home run in 38 1/3 innings. Los Angeles is 5-1 in the games Penny starts.

The 28-year-old righthander has struggled against his former club, as he is 0-1 with an 8.18 ERA in two starts since the Marlins traded him to the Dodgers in July 2004.

Penny did not factor into the decision for his third straight start on Tuesday despite holding Arizona to three hits in six scoreless innings of Los Angeles' 2-1 win on Tuesday.

Florida's Miguel Cabrera is batting .419 (18-for-43) with two homers over his last 11 games, and both of his career hits against Penny are home runs.

Ricky Nolasco (1-0, 5.68) takes the mound for Florida following a solid start in his return from the disabled list. He missed nearly a month with right elbow inflammation, giving up a run and six hits with five strikeouts over five innings of a 5-2 win over the New York Mets on Tuesday.

Nolasco will be making his first career start against the Dodgers, who won five of six meetings with the Marlins last year, including all three games in Florida.