The Phillies latest surge has put the heat on Atlanta in the NL East and also has its opponent tonight looking more and more distant in the rearview mirror. The Marlins are facing a near must-win situation Thursday night at 7:10 p.m. ET in Florida when they entertain the second-place Phillies in the rubber match of the three-game series.

It will be an uphill climb in this game for Florida as the Phillies are riding an 11-2 wave entering the game and going for a sweep in this three-game series. The Phillies have more consistent hitting, more power in the lineup and better starting pitching. If the Marlins want to erase the eight-game deficit they face in the NL East they will have to find ways to win games like this.

MLB Predictions: Pitching Matchup

Roy Oswalt (6-13, 3.53 ERA) vs. Chris Volstad (5-8, 4.71 ERA)
Oswalt did not get off on the right foot in his Phillies debut, allowing four earned runs to the Washington Nationals in six innings. He has only won one decision since June 16 but Oswalt is still a premier pitcher who has just been the victim of horrendous run support. In his last seven starts Oswalt has only received five total runs of support. That is an unheard of number, but now with Philadelphia, he should expect to receive plenty of support from his offense.

The Phillies had their way with Volstad in two previous starts this year. In Philadelphia on June 8, Volstad was lit up for six runs in four innings. The Marlins would lose that game, 10-8. Earlier in the year at home Volstad gave up three runs in six innings and was saddled with the loss.

The Marlins have the better bullpen than Philadelphia and that is good news considering Volstad has not pitched beyond the sixth inning since May 7, that was 14 starts ago. Oswalt has been just the opposite, pitching seven innings or more eight of his last 11 starts.

Phillies vs. Marlins Odds
The Phillies enter the game as slight favorites at -125. The Marlins are priced at +105. The total is set at eight. Lines are courtesy of Sportsbook.com.

Phillies vs. Marlins Trends
Phillies are 6-1 in their last 7 games vs. a right-handed starter
Phillies are 11-2 in their last 13 games overall
Marlins are 7-4 in their last 11 home games
Marlins are 3-9 in Volstad’s last 12 starts vs. divisional opponents
Marlins are 3-10 in Volstad’s last 13 starts
Phillies are 18-19 against the NL East (worst in the division)
Marlins are 21-20 against the NL East (best in the division)

Phillies vs. Marlins MLB Predictions
The Marlins have struggled immensely over the last two months of the season when Volstad starts. They are 1-6 over his last seven home starts, not to mention his awful numbers against the NL East (3-9), on grass (5-16) and on five days rest (5-17). While the Marlins have the best record against NL East competition, the Phillies have won five of nine over the fish this season.

The Marlins have an excellent chance to win anytime Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco or Anibal Sanchez takes the mound, but their opponents are quickly finding out there is not much to the rotation after that trio.

This veteran Phillies team has found its way back into the NL East by winning the games it should win and that is exactly what is on the menu Thursday night for Philadelphia, a game it should win.

Jason Sharp is the newest addition to Doc’s Sports Advisory Board team and we are very excited to have one of the best MLB Handicapping minds in the country on our team. His baseball picks are on an 8-1 run and he has a 5-Unit MLB Game of the Week for Thursday. Don’t miss out on his profitable MLB picks packages! Click Here for his Insider’s Page.