VENUE: Sun Life Stadium
As they attempt to add to their longest winning streak of the season, the Florida Marlins were hoping to have baseball's winningest pitcher of the past two months on the mound.
Instead, former first-round draft pick Andrew Miller is expected to make his season debut and will try to lead the Marlins to their sixth consecutive victory Sunday against the visiting Houston Astros.
Florida (62-60) rallied from an early two-run deficit for a 6-3 win Saturday night as Gaby Sanchez, Cody Ross and Wes Helms drove in all of the team's runs. The victory - the Marlins' 10th in their last 11 home meetings with the Astros - the club on the verge of its longest win streak since a seven-game run April 12-19, 2009.
"We're playing well right now. Our pitching is keeping us in it and we're getting some timely hits and we're playing some good D," Ross said. "It's a pretty good combination."
Florida was originally scheduled to send Ricky Nolasco to the mound for this contest, but the 14-game winner sustained a partial tear in his right knee in between a bullpen session Friday. Nolasco's nine victories since June 23 are the most in the majors, and he would have entered this game with a 13-inning scoreless streak.
In Nolasco's place, Miller will make his first appearance since being called up from Double-A Jacksonville on Thursday and his first major league start since July 19, 2009.
The left-hander, who was selected sixth overall in the 2006 draft by Detroit, was 2-9 with a 5.35 ERA in 21 minor league appearances this season. He was 3-5 with a 4.84 ERA in 14 starts and six relief appearances for the Marlins in 2009, his second season with the team.
Miller lost his only start against the Astros on April 12, 2008.
As it attempts to avoid a season-high seventh consecutive road defeat, Houston (53-69) will turn to Nelson Figueroa (3-1, 3.19 ERA), who will make his second start since being acquired off waivers July 21.
The right-hander, 1-0 with a 2.76 ERA in nine appearances with the Astros, gave up two runs over five innings Tuesday against one of his former clubs, the New York Mets. He did not get a decision in a 4-3 victory.
"I threw a lot more pitches (89) than I wanted to throw in such a short amount of time," Figueroa said. "For my first start, I'll take it. I put us in a position to win."
Figueroa is 1-2 with a 3.71 ERA in three career starts against the Marlins.
With a victory Sunday, Florida can match its season-best four-game home winning streak. The Marlins swept the Mets in four games May 13-16.
