(Best E Casino) - Justin Duchscherer takes aim at his fourth win in as many starts this afternoon, when the
Oakland Athletics wrap up their three-game interleague series with the
Florida Marlins at McAfee Coliseum.
Duchscherer won for the fourth time in his last five starts on Tuesday in Arizona, as he held the Diamondbacks to a run and five hits in eight innings to run his record to 7-4, while lowering his earned run average to 2.08.
The 30-year-old right-hander, who has never faced the Marlins, has been especially good this season at home, where he is a perfect 5-0 with a sparkling 1.60 ERA in five starts.
Florida will pin its hopes on young lefty Andrew Miller, who is 5-5 with a 4.87 ERA. The 23-year-old hurler, though, is coming off a pair of impressive outings and defeated the Seattle Mariners in his last trip to the hill on Monday. Miller allowed a run and six hits over seven innings in that one, picking up his first victory in five starts.
Over his last two outings, spanning 14 innings, Miller has surrendered just two runs.
This is Florida's first-ever visit to Oakland, but it did take two of three between the clubs back in 2003 at Dolphin Stadium.
The Marlins have won four of their last six games and are 4-4 so far on a nine-game road. They pulled within one game of the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies with Saturday's 6-4 win, as Dan Uggla continued his torrid streak with a three-run double in the ninth inning after Cody Ross toed the game on a solo homer in the eighth.
Jorge Cantu and Wes Helms each added an RBI for the Marlins, who are 18-19 on the road and moved up in the division standings after the Phillies lost on Saturday to the Los Angeles Angels at Citizens Bank Park.
Ricky Nolasco started for Florida and went seven innings, giving up three runs on seven hits for a no-decision. Renyel Pinto took the win in relief as he pitched a perfect eighth, then Kevin Gregg got his 13th save of the year despite giving up a run and two hits in the ninth inning.
Oakland has lost three of four games and is 1-1 on a nine-game homestand. It it now 23-18 as the host this season after suffering a setback to the Marlins last night. Eric Chavez and Kurt Suzuki each had a hit and two RBI for the A's. Dana Eveland lasted 6 1/3 innings and was touched for two runs on eight hits. Huston Street was dealt the loss as he gave up three runs on two hits and walked a pair in the ninth.
