Marlins attempt to recapture June success in series finale vs. Rockies

Mickey Moniak is beginning to perform like a No. 1 overall draft pick again.

Moniak will try to keep his latest hot streak going for the Colorado Rockies when they oppose the Miami Marlins in the finale of a four-game series on Thursday afternoon in Denver.

Moniak came within a single of hitting for the cycle in the Rockies' 6-3 win against the Marlins on Wednesday. The first pick in the 2016 draft also homered in Colorado's 14-3 loss to Miami on Tuesday.

"He was a first overall (pick) for a reason, so it's never been a thing of talent," Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said of Moniak following the Wednesday game. "Guys take a circuitous route to find a place that they settle into in a part of their career. It seems like he's found a place here in Denver that he's comfortable in, and certainly swings the bat very well in this ballpark, and he was a big factor for them (Wednesday) evening."

The Marlins fell on the first day of July after finishing June with a 20-6 record, the best mark in the majors and the best month in their history (.769). It was only the second time in franchise annals that Miami won at least 20 games in a month, following a 21-8 ledger in May 2012.

Miami starter Max Meyer came into the Wednesday game with a shiny 9-0 record, but with one out in the first, Moniak hit the second pitch he saw from Meyer over the fence for a 1-0 lead.

"Staying on a fastball, drove it out to left-center," Moniak said. "When I'm doing that, things are usually feeling pretty good."

McCullough would like to see a better approach at the plate from his hitters in the series finale. Miami struck out 11 times on Wednesday, with Esteury Ruiz (four), Kyle Stowers (three) and Owen Caissie (two) accounting for nine.

McCullough did witness something he'd never seen before: a pinch-hit inside-the-park homer. Joe Mack circled the bases after his long fly ball took an odd bounce off the center field wall in the seventh inning.

"I didn't have Joe Mack doing that on my bingo card," McCullough said. "This ballpark's crazy."

Colorado plans to send veteran right-hander Michael Lorenzen to the mound in hopes of splitting the series after dropping the first two.

Lorenzen (3-9, 6.83 ERA) showed signs of rebounding from a difficult stretch in which he went 10 straight starts without a victory and lost seven times. He ended the skid on Saturday when he allowed two runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings during an 8-5 victory against the Minnesota Twins. It was his first win since April 24.

"He pounded the zone. He got ahead. He didn't try to do too much," Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer said. "He was efficient with his pitches. He threw his sinker a ton and got some quick outs. Didn't hunt the punchout, which was great. I thought Mike was very, very good."

Lorenzen faced the Marlins in the second game of the season and went 4 1/3 innings in a no-decision at Miami. He allowed three runs and seven hits.

Lorenzen has had decent success against the Marlins in his career overall, going 4-2 with a 2.62 ERA in 18 appearances, including seven starts.

Following the Wednesday game, McCullough named Ryan Gusto as his starting pitcher for Thursday.

Gusto (0-2, 5.06 ERA) tossed 3 1/3 shutout innings in his latest outing, on Saturday in a no-decision against the host St. Louis Cardinals. That came after a similar performance on June 21, when the right-hander limited the San Francisco Giants to one run and three hits in 4 1/3 innings. Miami won both games.

Gusto has never faced the Rockies in his two-year major league career.

--Field Level Media