• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Phils turn to Buchanan in rubber match with Marlins

Sep 25, 2014 - 1:40 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - David Buchanan will try to pick up his first victory since early August and lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a series win on Thursday afternoon in the finale of a three-game set with the Miami Marlins.

Buchanan is 0-3 in eight starts since his last victory on Aug. 6, though he has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of those outings. In fact, the rookie right-hander has not been reached for more than three earned runs in a start since June 8.

Buchanan is coming off a 3-1 loss at Oakland on Friday, charged with three runs on six hits and two walks over 6 2/3 innings. He also struck out six to remain 6-8 on the year while lowering his earned run average to 3.77. His ERA stood at 4.39 following his most recent win.

The 25-year-old is 1-0 with a 2.38 ERA in two previous starts against the Marlins, holding them to three runs over 11 1/3 innings.

The Marlins start Tom Koehler, who like Buchanan is in the midst of a winless stretch.

Koehler has not won since Aug. 17, posting five straight no-decisions before taking a loss to Washington on Friday. The righty yielded three runs on six hits and four walks over five innings of work.

The 28-year-old has not allowed more than three earned runs in eight consecutive starts and is 9-10 on the year with a 3.76 ERA.

He is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in six encounters with the Phillies, including four starts.

Philadelphia evened this series with last night's 2-1 win as Kyle Kendrick hurled seven innings of one-run ball and hit an RBI double among his three hits at the plate.

"Kyle was good on both sides of the ball," said Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg.

Ken Giles pitched a 1-2-3 eighth and Jonathan Papelbon stranded a runner at second base in the ninth to earn his 38th save and give the Phils their third victory in 10 games.

It was the first appearance for the Philadelphia closer since he received a seven-game suspension for grabbing his crotch in the direction of the fans at Citizens Bank Park after blowing a save against the Marlins on Sept. 14.

Brad Hand worked the first seven innings for the Marlins, holding the Phillies to a run on six hits with three walks.

"I thought Brad Hand did a good job. He handled (Chase) Utley and (Ryan) Howard, and had a tough time getting the pitcher out," joked Marlins manager Mike Redmond.

Chris Hatcher relieved Hand and surrendered the go-ahead run in the eighth as the Marlins lost for the fifth time in six games.

The Phillies are 10-8 against the Marlins this season and just 3-5 in Miami.