Miami Marlins vs Atlanta Braves Series Preview (April 21-23)

Apr 19, 2014; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria (3) is greeted by teammates after scoring a run on a wild pitch during the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Marlins Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The Miami Marlins season has been one crazy roller coaster ride, as the team has been streaky as hell all season long. The Marlins started off 5-1, then lost eight straight. Now the Marlins have won three in a row and four of their last five, as they head to Atlanta for a three game series.

The Braves come into this series 3.5 games ahead of the fourth place Marlins squad, at 12-6. The Braves are 7-3 in their past 10 games and have a strong 4-2 record at home. The Marlins are 4-6 in their past 10 and are 0-6 on the road.

Weather:

The weather for this series should be good, for the most part. Monday and Wednesday bring an always friendly 0% chance of rain. However, there is a 60% chance of rain on Tuesday. Here’s what Weather.com has to say about Tuesday:

"Showers early then scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day. High 76F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%."

Hopefully there is no delay or postponement for the game on Tuesday, but that’s the risk of not having a roof on your stadium in the South.

Broadcast:

All three of the games will be broadcast on Fox Sports Florida with 7:10 PM EST start times for the first two games. The matinee game of the series will be a 12:10 PM EST start, with the Marlins traveling to New York after the series. All three games will be broadcasted on FSN Florida, with the finale also being broadcasted on MLB Network.

Pitching Match-ups:

Monday, April 21
Marlins: Tom Koehler (1.89 ERA, 3.97 FIP)
Braves:  Julio Teheran (1.93 ERA, 3.83 FIP)

Tuesday, April 22
Marlins: Jose Fernandez (2.66 ERA, 2.15 FIP)
Braves: Alex Wood (1.67 ERA, 3.52 FIP)

Wednesday, April 23
Marlins: Nathan Eovaldi (3.55 ERA, 2.25 FIP)
Braves: Aaron Harang (0.70 ERA, 2.77 FIP)

Storyline:

Nothing would prove that the Marlins could compete with the best in the National League East than beating a team they have struggled against mightily the past few years. The Marlins, since 2010, are just 23-50 against the Braves, including a 12-24 record at Turner Field.

The biggest headline in this series has to be in the second game, as Jose Fernandez will be making his first start against the Atlanta Braves since this happened last season:

I am pretty sure all of this has been put in the rear view mirror for both teams, but it would be amazing to see Fernandez dominate the Braves lineup, especially

, since he likes to hide behind umpires and yell at Fernandez.

Prediction:

The Marlins, in my opinion, have a decided pitching advantage in the last two games of the series. The Braves hold the obvious advantage in the first one. For that reason, I’ll go out on a limb and make a bold prediction that the Marlins take two of three. I have been fairly impressed by Eovaldi, as he is pitching as well as Fernandez, if not better, in 2014.

What do you think the Marlins chances of winning the series are? Let us know in the comments below and Go Fish!