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The Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves have a date with destiny, as they face off in a crucial three-game set within the NL East with major implications on the NL Wild Card race. Miami will send Tom Koehler to try and battle against Ervin Santana in tonight's first duel.
Pitching Matchup
| PROJ ERA | FIP | ERA | MARLINS | Braves | ERA | FIP | PROJ ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.29 | 3.87 | 3.82 | Koehler | Santana | 3.60 | 3.31 | 3.47 |
Koehler is looking to build on a decent month of August, as he has a 3.55 FIP backing up an unfortunate 4.50 ERA. Last time out, he struck out four and walked none in seven innings, but gave up three runs along the way. Performances like this should lead to better results for the Fish.
Ervin Santana has been a good pickup for the injury-riddled Braves, who still miss their starting pitchers lost to Tommy John surgery. Santana is still playing decently this year and is looking for a long-term deal.
Lineup
More of the same lineup-wise for the Fish. After a brief stint in the cleanup spot for Ozuna, he was dropped back down to sixth in the lineup.
Bold Prediction: Marlins def. Braves 4-3