Marlins @ Astros 8:05 p.m. ET

May 12, 200422 yr

vs

--

Dontrelle Willis(3-1, 3.73) against Wade Miller(4-2, 2.75)

On television:

Marlins station: FSN

On radio:

Marlins station: Sports radio/WQAM 560 AM; WQBA 1140 AM Spanish

On Webcast:

Ramp, KJC, and Co...

Ramp's prediction: Marlins win. Everybody hits....WOO HOO

DONTRELLE WILLIS CAREER VS. ASTROS

Pitcher

G

GS

CG

ShO

IP

H

R

ER

HR

BB

K

W

L

Hd

S

BS

ERA

Dontrelle Willis

0

0.00

ASTROS BATTERS CAREER VS. DONTRELLE WILLIS

Batter

PA

AB

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

SB

CS

BB

K

TB

DP

SLG

OBP

OPS

AVG

Jose Vizcaino

0

.000

Orlando Palmeiro

0

.000

Jason Lane

0

.000

Mike Lamb

0

.000

Jeff Kent

0

.000

Richard Hidalgo

0

.000

Adam Everett

0

.000

Morgan Ensberg

0

.000

Raul Chavez

0

.000

Craig Biggio

0

.000

Lance Berkman

0

.000

Jeff Bagwell

0

.000

Brad Ausmus

0

.000

WADE MILLER CAREER VS. MARLINS

Pitcher

G

GS

CG

ShO

IP

H

R

ER

HR

BB

K

W

L

Hd

S

BS

ERA

Wade Miller

2

0

12.2

9

5

4

1

8

6

1

0

2.84

MARLINS BATTERS CAREER VS. WADE MILLER

Batter

PA

AB

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

SB

CS

BB

K

TB

DP

SLG

OBP

OPS

AVG

Ramon Castro

2

1

0

1

0

.500

1.000

.500

Juan Pierre

11

10

4

3

0

1

0

7

0

.700

.455

1.155

.400

Mike Redmond

3

1

0

1

0

2

1

.667

.333

1.000

.333

Mike Lowell

3

1

0

1

0

.333

.667

.333

Luis Castillo

7

4

1

0

3

0

1

0

.250

.571

.821

.250

Lenny Harris

11

10

2

0

2

0

1

2

0

.200

.273

.473

.200

Abraham Nunez

0

.000

Mike Mordecai

0

.000

Alex Gonzalez

3

0

1

0

3

0

.000

1.000

.000

Damion Easley

0

.000

Wil Cordero

0

.000

Jeff Conine

3

0

2

0

.000

Hee Seop Choi

6

5

0

1

3

0

.000

.167

.000

Miguel Cabrera

0

.000

c/o espn.com

May 12, 200422 yr

Marlins win 9-3.

YAY!

May 12, 200422 yr

I think the offense gets going tonight and the Dontrelle from the first 2 weeks reappears.

May 12, 200422 yr

I think Dontrizzle is going to have a big game at the plate, and a bigger game on the mound.

May 12, 200422 yr

Yahoo! Sports Game Preview

Wade Miller feels a lot better than he did last year.

He'll look to continue enjoying his strong start to the season when the Houston Astros meet the Florida Marlins in the middle game of their series at Minute Maid Park.

Miller, who went 14-13 with a 4.13 ERA last season, said he has much better control of his pitches this year.

``I feel a lot better this year than I did last year,'' Miller said. ``I just feel better control-wise. I didn't really have good command any of the time last year.''

The 27-year-old right-hander has allowed no more than three earned runs in five of his six starts. He gave up six hits over 7 1-3 scoreless innings Thursday in a 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

``Miller pitched a strong game,'' Houston manager Jimy Williams said. ``He threw strikes. His stuff is good. That's the main thing and he's not backing off.''

Miller will now try to help the Astros win for the seventh time in eight games.

Roger Clemens struck out 11 to become the first seven-game winner in the majors Tuesday, and Morgan Ensberg had three RBIs to lead the Astros to a 6-1 victory in the series opener.

Lance Berkman went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, and Craig Biggio added a homer for the Astros.

Houston, which has won 10 of its last 12, tied the 1973 team for the best start in franchise history through 32 games.

The Marlins, who have lost seven of their last 10, scored their only run on a solo homer by Ramon Castro.

May 12, 200422 yr

Dontrelle is going yard tonight.

May 12, 200422 yr

ummm we need to win ... and Wade Miller isnt an easy feat

It all depends if Dontrelle can get ahead and throw stikes continously ... since I dont think that Wade Miller will give up many hits

I think this one might come down to the bullpen. :confused

May 12, 200422 yr

Dontrelle must throw strikes. We need this win!

May 12, 200422 yr

I don't want to be pessimistic, but the Astros has a lefty dominant line up.

For us to have any chance at all, we need Dontrelle to bring his A (Best) game and go deep into the 8th inning.

I don't have a good feeling about this, hope I'm wrong,

May 12, 200422 yr

DTrain has never faced the Stros. There is bound to be confusion among them for the majority of the game facing him. Lets look at it this way, its only May and we are still leading the NL East.

May 12, 200422 yr

Everybody hits....WOO HOO

Damn Phillies fan.

May 12, 200422 yr

Dammit, we are going to lose 130-0.

Give up the season now! Forfeit all the games. End the suffering.

Sorry, just had to get that out.

May 12, 200422 yr

This is going to tell a lot about which Dontrelle we're getting this year.

So far, 3 great starts, 2 awful ones.

Which is it? If he can get back on track tonight, fantastic. But if he has the same struggles, they're going to have to take a hard look at him.

What I want to see tonight is some offense. Let's not make Willis win it on his own. So what if Wade Miller is a good pitcher? This is supposed to be a defending WS champ team. Let's beat a good pitcher.

:thumbup

May 12, 200422 yr

the outcome sucked but yesterday was a superb game through 7 innings

hopefully we can score a couple runs and get the W

May 12, 200422 yr

willis has to get back on track.

marlins gotta tie up the series at one.

we need this win....don't wanna get beat twice in a row into the finale and then go to a tough city like st.louis

May 12, 200422 yr

willis has to get back on track.

marlins gotta tie up the series at one.

we need this win....don't wanna get beat twice in a row into the finale and then go to a tough city like st.louis

St. Louis has always been a place the Marlins have had success at. But you can take nothing for granted.

May 12, 200422 yr

We should be able to get the win as long as Dontrelle can go 7 innings....

a 2 inning save for Benitez is necessary

May 12, 200422 yr

Wade Miller has been pitching very well lately.

Dontrelle has not.

The only way to win will be to hit the cover off the ball tonight.

Of course our bullpen sucks...which may be the deciding factor.

I expect a shootout that can go either way.

If Willis doesnt go at least 6 though...we lose.

May 12, 200422 yr

Wade Miller has been pitching very well lately.

Dontrelle has not.

The only way to win will be to hit the cover off the ball tonight.

Of course our bullpen sucks...which may be the deciding factor.

I expect a shootout that can go either way.

If Willis doesnt go at least 6 though...we lose.

That is the Das Texan Scouting Report brought to you by Enron

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May 12, 200422 yr

Tonight's game will have live updates of Miami Heat action presented by Conseco.

http://images.google.com/images?q=tbn:LO_1PThPWcYJ:www.cnnfn.com/2002/12/18/images/flash/conseco.03.jpg

May 12, 200422 yr

This is the "In-The-Hole" Show. On Deck in approx. an hour.

05/11/2004 11:00 PM ET

D-Train makes first stop in Houston

Florida (18-14) vs. Houston (21-11), 8:05 p.m. ET

By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com

In his young big-league career, Marlins left-hander Dontrelle Willis has experienced a number of challenges.

As a rookie last season, the 22-year-old enjoyed a meteoric rise to stardom, making the All-Star team, winning a World Series ring and being named Rookie of the Year.

But along with the highs, Willis certainly suffered some lows. He was knocked around a bit in the second half of 2003, and this season some terrific starts have been mixed with some setbacks.

One test Willis has yet to face is the Astros' imposing lineup.

The energetic lefty gets his first real taste of the NL Central leaders on Wednesday at Minute Maid Park. After stumbling to a 6-1 loss on Tuesday, the Marlins strive to even the best-of-three series.

Willis did pitch against the Astros when the teams met in Mexico City during Spring Training.

"That was their Class A team," said Willis, noting that a number of minor leaguers were in the game.

As the Marlins seek a rare victory in Houston, Wednesday's opponent promises to be more formidable than the one Willis faced back in the spring. Florida is 15-35 on the road against the Astros, and has lost to Houston eight times in the last 10 meetings.

"They can hit," said Willis, who, at 3-1, hasn't won in his last three decisions. "It's like playing an American League team. They can hit. Their pitchers can handle the bat. They're aggressive. They don't make many mistakes on the basepaths. They come to play every day.

"Even in the spring when we faced them, they were very calm and composed. They take what you give them. If you throw the ball away, they hit the ball away, and for power. That's the difference -- even their leadoff hitter [Craig Biggio]. That's a sign of what comes at three, four, five, six, seven and eight. They compete."

Marlins manager Jack McKeon sees the Astros as one of the elite teams in the league. The additions of pitchers Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte make them a favorite to not only win the NL Central but to reach the World Series.

Clemens overwhelmed the Marlins with a wicked split-finger fastball on Tuesday, striking out 11 in seven innings while improving his record to 7-0.

"They are one of the better clubs in the league, there is no question about that," said McKeon. "If they put it all together for any stretch at a time, everybody else is in trouble. ... They know how to pitch. They know how to win. They've been through the mill, and have enough postseason experience. When you get those kind of guys on the hill, the rest of the club picks up."

The Astros are going with right-hander Wade Miller, who has not worked against the Marlins since 2001.

The addition of the two proven starters, said McKeon, should make such pitchers as Miller better.

Though the Marlins have a talented young staff, they lack the proven veteran.

"We've got all young guys growing together," said McKeon. "We don't have a Clemens or a Pettitte to see how they're going, and how to follow suit or pick up some pointers -- whether it is work or pitching ideas."

Pitching matchup:

FLA: LHP Dontrelle Willis

3-1, 3.73 in 2004

First appearance vs. HOU

HOU: RHP Wade Miller

4-2, 2.75 ERA in 2004

first appearance vs. FLA in 2004

1-0, 2.84 ERA lifetime vs. FLA

On the Internet:

MLB.TV

Gameday Audio

Gameday

Official game notes

On television:

FLA: FSN

HOU: Fox Sports SW

On radio:

FLA: 560 WQAM, 1140 WQBA AM (Espa?ol)

HOU: KTRH 740 AM; KLAT 1010 AM (Espa?ol)

On deck:

Thursday: Marlins at Astros, 8:05 p.m. ET

Friday: Marlins at Cardinals, 8:10 p.m. ET

Saturday: Marlins at Cardinals, 2:15 p.m. ET

Sunday: Marlins at Cardinals, 2:15 p.m. ET

Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

May 12, 200422 yr

Heat update at the :09's

Game at 8 PM EDT in Miami vs. Indy

May 12, 200422 yr

Cape's Game Thread Posts Are Presented By:

:spam

May 12, 200422 yr

Marlins are on Fox Sports Net Florida Tonight and Tomorrow.

Tonight's Heat playoff game will be on WBFS UPN33 in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, WTVX UPN34 in Fort Pierce/Palm Beach, and on ESPN in those places and around the country. In Canada, tune into Rogers Sportsnet for the game.