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May 7, 2009 - 5:09 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Atlanta (11-15) at Florida (15-12), 12:10 p.m. EDT

The Florida Marlins' rotation was a major factor in their impressive start to 2009. It's also become a key culprit in their recent struggles.

The Marlins hope to get a win from a starter for the first time in 20 games Thursday when they attempt to avoid getting swept by the Atlanta Braves.

Florida (15-13) got off to an impressive 11-1 start to the season to move atop the NL East. During the first nine games of that stretch, the club's rotation posted an 6-1 record with a 2.98 ERA.

The starters haven't come close since, failing to post a win in a team-record 19 games in a row while going 0-9 with a 5.69 ERA.

That stretch continued Wednesday when Graham Taylor allowed eight runs - four earned - and seven hits in 2 1-3 innings of an 8-6 loss to Atlanta.

"I wouldn't have believed it," Marlins reliever Dan Meyer said. "I was impressed with the arms we have in the rotation from day one of spring training. For this to happen - it's just one of those freak things. I'm sure it can't last much longer."

The Marlins hope Anibal Sanchez (1-3, 5.46 ERA) can end the rotation's streak while stopping his personal three-game skid in another start against the Braves (12-15).

The right-hander allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings of a 6-2 win at Atlanta on April 16. However, he's followed that by losing three consecutive starts - all on the road - with a 7.94 ERA.

Sanchez's most recent outing on Saturday was his shortest of 2009, as he allowed six runs and nine hits with four walks in four innings of a 6-1 loss at Chicago.

"I didn't feel comfortable," he said. "I tried to throw the ball on the corners. I wanted to be aggressive in the first inning. I just couldn't feel the ball."

Sanchez is 10-3 with a 3.17 ERA in 18 career games - 17 starts - at home. One of those defeats, though, came against Atlanta on Sept. 2, when he lasted just three innings, giving up six runs and eight hits in a 16-14 loss.

The Braves are looking to build on only their third win in 10 games, and their highest-scoring output since a 10-2 win at Cincinnati on April 25. Atlanta had been outscored 22-13 during its just-ended four-game losing streak and scored more than three runs just three times in losing seven of its previous nine.

"Winning streaks start under the most innocent of circumstances," Braves third baseman Chipper Jones said after going 2 for 3 with two RBIs against the Marlins. "Hopefully this starts one."

Atlanta will try to take advantage of Florida's struggling pitching in order to provide some help for Jair Jurrjens (2-2, 1.89), who is 0-2 with a 1.61 ERA in his last four starts while getting just two total runs of support.

A rain delay of 1 hour, 37 minutes cut the right-hander's outing on Saturday to two innings after he yielded one run and four hits.

Jurrjens is 1-1 with a 7.80 ERA in three career starts against Florida - all in 2008. He lost his only start at Miami in part due to the offense producing only four hits while he allowed two runs in six innings of a 4-0 loss on April 15, 2008.