Houston Astros (42-60) at Miami Marlins (48-52), 7:10 p.m. (CST)
TV: CSN Houston, MLB.TV
Radio: KBME 790 AM, KLAT 1010 AM
Marlins SBNation Blog: Fish Stripes
Pitching matchup
LHP Dallas Keuchel (9-6, 3.29 ERA, 1.25 WHIP) vs. Brad Hand (1-2, 4.86 ERA, 1.64 WHIP)
Series/Game Preview
The Houston Astros and the Miami Marlins were joined at the hip for the past few seasons as the worst teams in baseball. This season the Marlins have been able to make a small jump, and were at the top of the National League East for a time. They came back down to earth with the injury to their young Cuban ace Jose Fernandez. Coming into this series the Marlins have four wins and six losses in their last ten games. Miami took three of four against the second-place Braves this week.
Brad Hand takes mound for the Marlins today, making his seventh start this season and twenty-second overall. He has three career wins, one came on saturday against the Giants and another was in 2011 against the Astros. In his win on saturday, Hand allowed two runs on six hits over seven innings. He has a 3.22 ERA over 22.1 innings in his last four starts since returning to the Marlins.
Hand will be facing an Astros lineup he has never seen before in his career. Jose Altuve hasn't stopped hitting, he is 11-for-29 with four runs scored and four RBIs. Altuve's strikeouts have jumped up these last six games, he has 10 already and had just 19 total before the All-Star break. Chris Carter has been a hitting machine in the team's last six games. He is batting .304 (7-23) with six extra-base hits and five RBIs. Enrique Hernandez (7-23) and Robbie Grossman (7-21) have earned their regular playing time with their bats since the team back from break. On the other side of the coin, Jason Castro and Jon Singleton have hurt the middle of the Astros lineup - batting .111 (2-18) and .150 (3-20) respectively.
Dallas Keuchel is the man tasked with keeping Giancarlo Stanton in check. Keuchel hasn't found the form that put him into All-Star consideration in July. He has a 6.48 ERA in 16 innings this month. In his last start on Friday against the White Sox, Keuchel gave up three earned runs over five innings. At least he is at home, where he as a 3.30 ERA in 46.1 innings.
Keuchel will face a young cast around Giancarlo Stanton. Stanton found his home run stroke after a lack-luster Home Run Derby - he is 7-for-25 with two home runs and two doubles since the break. Another bright young star, Chirstian Yelich is batting .333 (9-27) with a double and five runs scored this past week. Jarrod Saltalamacchia was the big signing of the Marlins this offseason, he is batting .389 (7-18) with three extra-base hits in his last five games. Keuchel has previously faced third baseman Casey McGehee, he is 0-for-5 with a walk. Garrett Jones has had success against Keuchel in his career going 3-for-8 with a two extra-base hits.
Series Prediction
The Astros take two of three, the home cooking is good for Dallas Keuchel Jarred Cosart. Chris Carter continues to hit before he is traded at the deadline.