(Sports Network) - Former first-round draft pick Ian Kennedy tries again to snap a nearly two-month free-fall when the Arizona Diamondbacks host the Florida Marlins tonight in the third game of their four-game series at Chase Field.
The teams have split the initial two meetings of this set. On Friday, Ricky Nolasco pitched seven strong innings to win his fourth straight start and Florida edged Arizona, 3-2.
Nolasco (9-6) allowed six hits and two runs, walked three and had six strikeouts as the Marlins bounced back from a 10-4 defeat on Thursday. He moved to 5-1 lifetime against the Diamondbacks.
Dan Uggla drove in two runs to lead the Marlins offensively.
Arizona starter Dan Haren (7-7) yielded 10 hits and three runs over 6 2/3 innings in losing his third straight decision. The right-hander hasn't won since June 12 against St. Louis.
Chris Young and Gerardo Parra each knocked in a run for Arizona, which lost for the sixth time in seven games under the guidance of new manager Kirk Gibson.
The 21st overall selection by the New York Yankees in the 2006 draft, Kennedy opened his first season with the Diamondbacks with three wins in his initial five starts, the most recent of which came May 19 against San Francisco.
He's 0-5 with three no-decisions in eight starts since, including losses in four straight outings where he's allowed 26 hits and 20 runs in 23 2/3 innings.
He was raked for nine hits and seven runs in just 5 2/3 innings of his most recent effort, a 9-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs on July 5 in Phoenix.
Kennedy, who's never faced the Marlins, is 1-2 at Chase Field in 2010 with a 3.47 earned run average in 46 2/3 innings.
Florida goes with fellow ex-American Leaguer Nate Robertson, who was drafted by the Marlins in 1999 and reached the majors with them in 2002 before spending 2003-09 in the AL with the Detroit Tigers.
Robertson won a career-high 13 games with the Tigers en route to a World Series appearance in 2006, then returned to the National League and the Marlins to begin this season.
He was a 6-5 winner over the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last start, scattering seven hits and allowing three earned runs in six innings.
Robertson is 0-1 in two lifetime starts against the Diamondbacks, and 4-4 in nine road appearances this season.
These two clubs split a quick two-game set in Florida from May 17-18, as well as four games held at Chase Field last year. Arizona has won seven of the last 12 overall meetings in the series.