Florida Marlins vs Houston Astros live streaming majoe league baseball online radio commentary espn 360 gamecast april 10, 2011 The Florida Marlins are off to a great start on their nine-game trip. A first-ever three-game sweep visiting the Houston Astros would make it even better.
Marlins: 5-3, 2-0 away
Astros: 1-7, 0-2 home
The Marlins go for their third straight victory Sunday when they play their final game in Houston this year.
After scoring four times in its final three at-bats in Friday's 4-3 series-opening win, Florida (5-3) improved to 2-0 on its trip with a 7-5 victory Saturday.
Greg Dobbs, starting at third with Donnie Murphy replacing injured All-Star Hanley Ramirez (bruised left shin) at shortstop, hit a two-run homer during a three-run sixth-inning rally to help the Marlins win their first series in Houston since May 11-13, 2004. Dobbs was 3 for 4 with three RBIs.
2:05 PM ET, April 10, 2011
Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas
Pitching Matchup
Florida Houston
Anibal Sanchez
0-0, 3.18 ERA
Last appearance:
4/05 vs WSH
5.2 IP, 2 ER
Dec = ND J.A. Happ
0-1, 15.75 ERA
Last appearance:
4/05 at CIN
4.0 IP, 7 ER
Dec = Loss
Gameday Lineups
NO. Florida Houston
1. C. Coghlan, CF M. Bourn, CF
2. O. Infante, 2B A. Sanchez, SS
3. L. Morrison, LF H. Pence, RF
4. M. Stanton, RF C. Lee, LF
5. G. Sanchez, 1B B. Wallace, 1B
6. J. Buck, C B. Hall, 2B
7. W. Helms, 3B M. Downs, 3B
8. D. Murphy, SS H. Quintero, C
9. A. Sanchez, P J. Happ, P
"I've been working very hard and I've been preparing a lot and I'd like to think that at some point that pays off," he said.
Dobbs should be in the lineup Sunday, as Ramirez continues to rest after getting injured Friday on a collision at second base with Bill Hall.
Ramirez could still pinch-hit Sunday, but it's expected that he'll be held out until Tuesday's series opener in Atlanta.
"If I can't start (Sunday), hopefully Tuesday," Ramirez told the Marlins' official website prior to Saturday's game. "I can't wait to get back in there."
Right-hander Anibal Sanchez (0-0, 3.18 ERA) gets his second chance to pitch this season as he faces a Houston team that is an NL-worst 1-7 after opening 0-8 last season.
Sanchez is 3-0 with a 0.70 ERA in four career starts versus the Astros, winning both matchups last season with a 0.66 ERA.
Sanchez labored in his season debut, Tuesday's 3-2, 10-inning win over Washington. He struck out seven, but walked three and needed 105 pitches to go 5 2/3 innings.
J.A. Happ (0-1, 15.75), who makes his first home start Sunday, put an even heavier burden on his team's bullpen in his last outing.
Happ, beginning his first full season with Houston after being acquired from Philadelphia on July 29, lasted just four innings in Tuesday's 8-2 loss at Cincinnati, walking five and yielding seven runs and seven hits.
With his start pushed back two days due to an oblique strain in his final exhibition game, the left-hander threw 52 of his 91 pitches for strikes. Happ needed 31 to get through the first inning.
"There's no excuse," Happ told the Astros' official website. "Spring training is over. I feel fine physically. I'm going to be better than that, I promise you."
Happ was 2-1 with a 4.28 ERA in six home starts with the Astros last season.
In his only start against Florida last season with Houston, he struck out six in six innings of a 9-0 loss in Miami on Aug. 20.
Sanchez threw seven innings of three-hit ball in that game.
Happ likely won't have to face Ramirez, but he should be careful pitching to right fielder Mike Stanton, who scored twice and had an RBI double Saturday while starting for the first time since opening day due to a strained hamstring.
"That's one of the things about having Michael Stanton in the middle of the lineup," said manager Edwin Rodriguez. "Your lineup goes deeper with more offense and today was a good example."
Stanton is hitless in three at-bats against Happ.
Marlins: 5-3, 2-0 away
Astros: 1-7, 0-2 home
The Marlins go for their third straight victory Sunday when they play their final game in Houston this year.
After scoring four times in its final three at-bats in Friday's 4-3 series-opening win, Florida (5-3) improved to 2-0 on its trip with a 7-5 victory Saturday.
Greg Dobbs, starting at third with Donnie Murphy replacing injured All-Star Hanley Ramirez (bruised left shin) at shortstop, hit a two-run homer during a three-run sixth-inning rally to help the Marlins win their first series in Houston since May 11-13, 2004. Dobbs was 3 for 4 with three RBIs.
2:05 PM ET, April 10, 2011
Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas
Florida Houston
Anibal Sanchez
0-0, 3.18 ERA
Last appearance:
4/05 vs WSH
5.2 IP, 2 ER
Dec = ND J.A. Happ
0-1, 15.75 ERA
Last appearance:
4/05 at CIN
4.0 IP, 7 ER
Dec = Loss
Gameday Lineups
NO. Florida Houston
1. C. Coghlan, CF M. Bourn, CF
2. O. Infante, 2B A. Sanchez, SS
3. L. Morrison, LF H. Pence, RF
4. M. Stanton, RF C. Lee, LF
5. G. Sanchez, 1B B. Wallace, 1B
6. J. Buck, C B. Hall, 2B
7. W. Helms, 3B M. Downs, 3B
8. D. Murphy, SS H. Quintero, C
9. A. Sanchez, P J. Happ, P
"I've been working very hard and I've been preparing a lot and I'd like to think that at some point that pays off," he said.
Dobbs should be in the lineup Sunday, as Ramirez continues to rest after getting injured Friday on a collision at second base with Bill Hall.
Ramirez could still pinch-hit Sunday, but it's expected that he'll be held out until Tuesday's series opener in Atlanta.
"If I can't start (Sunday), hopefully Tuesday," Ramirez told the Marlins' official website prior to Saturday's game. "I can't wait to get back in there."
Right-hander Anibal Sanchez (0-0, 3.18 ERA) gets his second chance to pitch this season as he faces a Houston team that is an NL-worst 1-7 after opening 0-8 last season.
Sanchez is 3-0 with a 0.70 ERA in four career starts versus the Astros, winning both matchups last season with a 0.66 ERA.
Sanchez labored in his season debut, Tuesday's 3-2, 10-inning win over Washington. He struck out seven, but walked three and needed 105 pitches to go 5 2/3 innings.
J.A. Happ (0-1, 15.75), who makes his first home start Sunday, put an even heavier burden on his team's bullpen in his last outing.
Happ, beginning his first full season with Houston after being acquired from Philadelphia on July 29, lasted just four innings in Tuesday's 8-2 loss at Cincinnati, walking five and yielding seven runs and seven hits.
With his start pushed back two days due to an oblique strain in his final exhibition game, the left-hander threw 52 of his 91 pitches for strikes. Happ needed 31 to get through the first inning.
"There's no excuse," Happ told the Astros' official website. "Spring training is over. I feel fine physically. I'm going to be better than that, I promise you."
Happ was 2-1 with a 4.28 ERA in six home starts with the Astros last season.
In his only start against Florida last season with Houston, he struck out six in six innings of a 9-0 loss in Miami on Aug. 20.
Sanchez threw seven innings of three-hit ball in that game.
Happ likely won't have to face Ramirez, but he should be careful pitching to right fielder Mike Stanton, who scored twice and had an RBI double Saturday while starting for the first time since opening day due to a strained hamstring.
"That's one of the things about having Michael Stanton in the middle of the lineup," said manager Edwin Rodriguez. "Your lineup goes deeper with more offense and today was a good example."
Stanton is hitless in three at-bats against Happ.
