Diamondbacks-Marlins Preview

5/22/2008 1:27 AM

By BRETT HUSTON
STATS Writer

Sweeping the formidable Arizona Diamondbacks has been a tall order this season, something due in part to ace Brandon Webb winning his first nine starts.

The Florida Marlins became the first team to defeat Webb, and find themselves in position to pull off a rare sweep of the Diamondbacks when the teams conclude their three-game set Thursday in Miami.

Florida (26-19) has been perhaps the biggest surprise in baseball so far this season, sweeping three series on its way to the top of the NL East.

Facing Arizona (28-18), owner of the NL's best record, a fourth Marlins sweep seemed highly improbable considering the 9-0 Webb was pitching Wednesday.

It wasn't easy, but the Marlins prevented Webb from being just the third pitcher since World War I to win his first 10 starts. Down 1-0 in the fifth, Florida tied it and Cody Ross then homered to spark the Marlins to a 3-1 win.

"We still have a lot to prove," said former Diamondback Luis Gonzalez, who scored the tying run on a suicide squeeze. "People are waiting to see if this is a legitimate team, and that's to be expected. It's a young team and a tough division."

Arizona's pitching has been good in the series' first two games - Webb and Micah Owings each allowed three runs - but Florida's has been a little bit better. Starters Mark Hendrickson and Ricky Nolasco gave up a run apiece over 12 innings, and the Diamondbacks have scored only three runs and gotten 10 hits.

Florida will send rookie Andrew Miller (3-3, 6.18 ERA) to the mound as it looks for its first sweep of Arizona since July 28-30, 2003 - the year it went on to win the franchise's second World Series title.

Marlins starters have a 4.83 ERA, among the 10 worst in baseball, and Miller has certainly been a part of those struggles. After a terrible start, though, he's been much better in May, going 2-1 with a 2.00 ERA.

Miller lost his last start, allowing four runs - two earned - in five innings of a 7-6 defeat to Kansas City on Friday, but felt the outing was a good one.

"I thought I threw the ball well," Miller told the team's official Web site. "I felt like I had a good feel of everything, just didn't execute well."

Florida will likely have shortstop Hanley Ramirez (.304 average, nine homers, 23 RBIs) back in the lineup Thursday after he sat out for the first time this season against Webb. Ramirez was 1-for-15 (.067) with 10 strikeouts in his last four games.

It likely won't get much easier for Marlins hitters in the series finale. Arizona will send Dan Haren (5-2, 3.14) to the mound in hopes of avoiding its sixth straight road loss and second straight sweep away from Phoenix.

Haren picked up a victory Friday, allowing three runs over seven innings for a 4-3 win over Detroit.

While the Diamondbacks' pitching has been excellent as usual of late, the lineup has struggled, scoring nine runs in the last four games and going 4-for-26 with runners in scoring position.

Over the past five contests, Arizona - second in the NL with 5.2 runs per game - is 1-for-40 the first time through the order.

"We were all hot at the same time,'' said right fielder Justin Upton, 0-for-7 with five strikeouts in this series. "And as it looks right now, we're all cold at the same time.''