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Marlins look to end skid against surging Giants

Aug 20, 2007 - 1:07 PM San Francisco (54-70) at Florida (56-68) 1:05 pm EDT

MIAMI (Ticker) -- The Florida Marlins try to put an end to their plummet when they host the San Francisco Giants in the finale of a four-game series on Monday.

The Marlins have lost five consecutive games and find themselves a season-worst 12 games under the .500 mark.

San Francisco, meanwhile, has won a season-high four straight road games and can sweep its series with Florida with a win on Monday.

All-time home run king Barry Bonds, who connected on his 760th career home run on Saturday, sat out of Sunday's 6-5 win but is expected to make an appearance Monday. The Giants did not need Bonds' bat in their most recent victory as Ray Durham and Kevin Frandsen both homered.

Marlins starter Sergio Mitre (5-6, 3.82 ERA) seeks to turn around a tough stretch. The righthander has just one win in his last six starts and has seen his ERA balloon from 2.81 to 3.82 during that span.

Mitre, who has just one win in 10 starts at Dolphin Stadium this season, has retired Bonds in each of their three previous encounters.

The Giants counter with veteran Russ Ortiz (2-3, 5.20), who is 9-5 with a 3.18 ERA in 17 career starts against the Marlins.

Ortiz has not captured a win over his last eight appearances, including four starts. In his last turn, the righthander allowed four runs - three earned - and three hits with five walks in a 6-3 loss at the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.