Miami Marlins newcomer Mark Buehrle is unbeaten in his last three starts and gets the nod again tonight in the opener of a three-game series versus the Colorado Rockies.
Buehrle will help open a 10-game homestand at Marlins Park and squeezed past the Atlanta Braves in an 8-4 win last Wednesday despite allowing a season high-tying four runs and six hits in six innings. The veteran and longtime White Sox hurler improved to 3-4 in eight starts with a 3.17 ERA.
The Marlins' left-hander is 1-1 in three home starts in 2012 and did not record a decision in his only start against Colorado.
Miami ace Josh Johnson was on point in Sunday's 5-3 triumph at Cleveland and he held the Indians to a run on five hits in seven innings. Randy Choate threw 1 1/3 innings and Heath Bell got the final two outs of the game for his fifth save of the season.
"It was a good win for us we won the series. That's what we want to do, keep winning series," Johnson said. "It is a tight race so far, and hopefully it continues that way and we can just keep moving up (in the standings)."
Jose Reyes was 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored and Hanley Ramirez knocked in a run and also scored for Miami, winners in four of its last six and 14 of 19.
The Marlins will also host San Francisco and Washington on the homestand and are 9-7 in south Florida this season.
Colorado will begin a six-game road trip tonight against the Marlins and Reds and has lost four in a row, including a three-game sweep at the hands of the Seattle Mariners over the weekend.
In Sunday's 6-4 loss at Coors Field, Rockies starter Jeremy Guthrie was pounded for six runs and seven hits in six innings. Carlos Gonzalez finished 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBI, while Dexter Fowler homered for the Rockies, who got three hits from Michael Cuddyer.
"We have to (turn things around), we're not playing well," Rockies first baseman Todd Helton said. "You put pressure on yourself to go out and win some games, but we just have to start playing a little better."
The Rockies fell to 4-14 this month and will send veteran left-hander Jamie Moyer to the mound Monday. Moyer won his most recent start, a 6-1 victory over Arizona last Wednesday. He gave up one run in 6 1/3 innings to improve to 2-3 in eight starts to go along with a 4.20 ERA.
Moyer is 13-6 with a 3.09 ERA in 19 career starts against the Marlins and owns an 0-2 mark and a 5.06 ERA in three road outings this season.
Colorado and Miami split six meetings a season ago.
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