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Pirates turn to Maholm against Marlins

Apr 22, 2009 - 3:50 AM By Brett Huston Stats Writer

Florida (11-3) at Pittsburgh (8-6), 12:35 p.m. EDT

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have taken the first two games of their series with the red-hot Florida Marlins thanks to outstanding performances from their fourth and fifth starters.

They should feel pretty good about their chances for a sweep with Paul Maholm on the hill.

Maholm has a sub-1.00 ERA through three starts, and Wednesday afternoon he'll look for his third consecutive win as the Pirates try to complete their first three-game sweep of the visiting Marlins in nearly four years.

Even more surprising than Florida getting off to such an impressive start is the fact that Pittsburgh (8-6), which in 2008 sported an NL-worst 5.08 ERA, is leading the NL with a 3.00 ERA through 14 games.

The Pirates' young starting staff was the biggest culprit in a 95-loss 2008 season, posting a 5.36 ERA and a major-league low 33 wins. But new pitching coach Joe Kerrigan seems to be making quite a difference. Pittsburgh's starters already have seven wins and a 2.79 ERA, allowing just five homers in 81 innings.

The Marlins (11-3) came into PNC Park averaging 6.4 runs, but the Pirates' fourth and fifth starters have shut them down. Ross Ohlendorf pitched seven innings of two-hit ball Monday in Pittsburgh's 8-0 win, then Jeff Karstens allowed a run and three hits over six innings in a 3-2 victory Tuesday, hours after the Pirates found out catcher Ryan Doumit would miss eight-to-10 weeks with a wrist injury.

"A lot of people doubted us, but we all believe in ourselves and we all believe in each other," Karstens said of the Pirates' staff. "That's all that matters right now. Enough can't be said for (Kerrigan); we're more prepared than any team in the league."

As the Pirates try to complete their first sweep of the Marlins since May 30-June 1, 2005, at PNC, they'll have their No. 1 pitcher on the mound. Maholm (2-0, 0.87 ERA) has yielded just two earned runs in 20 2-3 innings, and he scattered four hits and three walks in seven innings Friday in a 3-0 win against Atlanta.

Still, both Maholm and his manager think he can be better.

"Paul did a good job tonight," manager John Russell said. "He wasn't as sharp, but he found a way to get outs. He's got enough confidence in himself that's he capable of being OK even when things aren't going right."

Maholm was 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA against Florida last season, with the win coming exactly a year ago in Pittsburgh -- he gave up a run and four hits while striking out six over six innings in a 3-2 victory.

Shortstop Hanley Ramirez is 5-for-13 (.385) with two homers against Maholm.

Ramirez has a four-game hitting streak, but he's batting just .178 (8-for-45) with three RBIs over his last 10 games after starting the season 7-for-14 with two homers and eight RBIs. Second baseman Dan Uggla, who has a team-high 12 RBIs, is 0-for-17 in his past four games.

"It's funny, we were off to such a great start, everybody had been kind of used to slapping hands after the game," Uggla said. "These days are going to happen to you. You're going to run into some pretty good pitching day in and day out."

The Marlins will hope to get a solid start from Ricky Nolasco (1-1, 6.60), who pitched six innings on opening day but hasn't made it that far in his last two outings. He gave up two runs and seven hits over four innings Friday in a no-decision at Washington, a game Florida won 3-2 in 10 innings.

Nolasco is 1-2 with a 1.99 ERA in five games -- three starts -- against Pittsburgh. He opposed Maholm last April 22, giving up three runs in six innings.