(Sports Network) - Right-hander Anibal Sanchez can pitch the Florida Marlins to a three-game road sweep today when they visit Minute Maid Park for the finale against the Houston Astros.
Florida's Greg Dobbs was a triple short of a cycle and batted in three runs as the Marlins came from behind to win, 7-5, on Saturday. Omar Infante and Logan Morrison each had two hits for Florida. while starting pitcher Javier Vazquez (1-1) got the win in six innings, allowing four runs on eight hits.
The win secured Florida's first series victory in Houston since 2004 and another victory this afternoon would give the Marlins their first ever three- game sweep on the road over the Astros.
Fernando Abad (1-1) was tagged with the loss. He didn't last an entire inning, allowing two runs on three hits during the seventh.
Sanchez, a 27-year-old Venezuelan, is unbeaten in four career starts against Houston, having won three decisions and posted a microscopic 0.70 earned run average in 25 2/3 innings.
He's allowed just 18 hits and two runs in those outings, walking eight batters and striking out 11 while allowing an opposition batting average of .202.
The veteran of 83 big-league appearances got a no-decision in his first mound start of 2011, scattering seven hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings of Florida's 3-2 win over Washington on April 5.
Sanchez was a 10-game winner as a rookie with the Marlins in 2006, then was limited to just 2, 2 and 4 wins in the next three seasons before bouncing back with 13 wins in 32 starts in 2010.
Taking the mound for the Astros will be lefty J.A. Happ, who was roughed up for seven hits and seven runs in four innings in an 8-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on April 5.
The 28-year-old product of Northwestern University was 12-game winner for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009 and began 2010 with them before heading to Houston in the deal that sent Roy Oswalt to Philadelphia.
Happ completed the season with five wins in nine decisions over 13 starts with the Astros and has a career mark of 19-10 in 61 career big-league appearances.
Happ is 1-1 with a 5.24 ERA in 22 1/3 innings against the Marlins in six appearances - three starts. He's walked six batters and struck out 20 while allowing a .279 opposition batting average.
Florida split its six meetings with the Astros.