This is a special game for the Marlins. It's the return to Dodger Stadium of Marlins manager Don Mattingly. The timing is ripe for the Marlins to pull an upset. The Dodgers are a bit fat and happy returning from a 4-2 road trip. They also come home with a short-handed, overworked bullpen that remains vulnerable in the seventh and eighth innings.

The Dodgers have lost four of the last five times when opening a new series.

I like the starting pitching matchup from a Marlins' standpoint, too. It's veteran Wei-Yin Chen, a consistent proven reliable No. 3 type starter, against Ross Stripling, who is making just his fourth big league start and getting worse as opponents get to know him better.

Much is made of Stripling's big league debut, when he didn't allow a hit in 7 1/3 innings. But he surrendered three runs on six hits and two walks during his last start when he couldn't get out of the fourth inning. That was this past Wednesday against the Braves, who have the worst record in baseball at 4-14.

Chen has produced two straight quality starts, the latest being this past Wednesday when he held the Nationals to three runs with seven strikeouts in seven innings.