Phillies at Marlins
The Philadelphia Phillies likely are feeling good about themselves after coming off a sweep of the reigning World Series champions, but those positive vibes will quickly vanish if their troubles continue against the National League's worst team. The Phillies have lost seven of 13 meetings with the Marlins this season heading into Friday's opener of a three-game series in Miami.
Bryce Harper belted a two-run homer in Wednesday's 5-2 win over Boston, giving him five homers, 12 RBIs and eight runs scored during Philadelphia's current 6-2 stretch. "He's the guy on the team. He's going to help carry us," Phillies left-hander Drew Smyly said of the 2015 NL Most Valuable Player. While Philadelphia is within striking distance for the second wild card in the NL, cellar-dwelling Miami returns home after its second straight 0-6 road trip with little else on its mind other than halting the ascent of its NL East rival. Starlin Castro ripped a two-run double in the seventh inning on Thursday, but the Marlins dropped their sixth consecutive contest and 16th in their last 19 with a 3-2 setback to Atlanta.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, NBCS Philadelphia, FS Florida (Miami)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Vince Velasquez (5-7, 4.35 ERA) vs. Marlins RH Hector Noesi (0-3, 9.39)
Velasquez picked up his third win in his last five starts on Friday after his taxing 108-pitch effort got him through 5 1/3 innings in an 8-4 victory against San Diego. The 27-year-old has pitched well in three starts versus Miami this season, but a lack of run support has kept him winless in that stretch despite limiting the Marlins to a .167 batting average over 15 1/3 innings. Velasquez has flustered Curtis Granderson (0-for-13, four strikeouts) while Castro (2-for-16, four strikeouts) and Neil Walker (3-for-16, four strikeouts) aren't exactly singing happy tunes against the hurler, either.
Noesi has struggled since rejoining the rotation earlier this month, surrendering two homers and three walks in all three of his outings. That's a recipe for disaster, with the 32-year-old allowing six runs in 4 1/3 innings in an 11-4 setback at Colorado in his last trip to the mound. Noesi, who will receive his first career start against Philadelphia, has kept Sean Rodriguez (0-for-7, three strikeouts) and Logan Morrison (0-for-6) under wraps.
WALK-OFFS
1. Philadelphia 1B Rhys Hoskins is showing signs of coming out of his pronounced slumber, following up a 3-for-45 stretch by reaching base six times with three runs scored in his last two games.
2. Walker is 10-for-29 with four extra-base hits (two doubles, two homers) against the Phillies this season.
3. Philadelphia C J.T. Realmuto is 0-for-12 in his last three games overall and 9-for-41 against his former team this season.