Philadelphia Phillies at Miami Marlins game preview

Updated Sep 22, 2015 at 11:33a ET

TV: FOX Sports Florida

Time: Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m.

The Philadelphia Phillies' pitching staff has been one of the worst in baseball this year, though they've thrived against the weak-hitting Miami Marlins.

They hope that trend continues in this three-game series beginning Tuesday night at Marlins Park.

Philadelphia (56-94) is on pace for its worst finish since the 1945 team went 46-108. The club has dropped 20 of its last 26 and six in a row, marking its fifth losing streak of at least six games. The longest was a nine-game slide June 8-17.

Despite being eight games behind Miami (64-86), the Phillies own an 8-5 advantage in the season series, winning seven of the last eight. Philadelphia has posted a 3.55 ERA versus the Marlins, who are last in the NL with an average of 3.7 runs, compared to a 4.99 mark against every other team.

The problem for the Phillies in being swept this past weekend in Atlanta was offense, however, as they lost each game 2-1.

"We've been concerned about our starting pitcher the whole season," interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "Now we get three outstanding performances and we can't score a run."

Miami came up short in clutch situations in dropping the last three of its four-game series at Washington, going 1 for 24 with runners in scoring position.

Philadelphia hasn't officially named a starter yet, though David Buchanan (2-9, 8.49 ERA) seems likely. He's had a terrible year, but has also had some success facing the Marlins.

Buchanan is surrendering a .361 opponents' batting average, the highest among pitchers with at least 10 starts and the highest by an NL pitcher since opponents hit .362 against Arizona's Edgar Gonzalez in 2004.

He looked better Tuesday in his second start since being called back up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley, however, limiting Washington to two runs over six innings in a 4-0 loss.

This is his first road start since he gave up 11 runs – tying the most allowed in the majors this year – over 1 2-3 innings in a 13-1 loss at Arizona on Aug. 11. He's struggled on the road all season, going 0-4 with an 11.22 ERA in five outings.

Buchanan was 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in facing the Marlins three times last year.

Miami's Tom Koehler (10-13, 3.90) has held his last three opponents to 14 hits while posting a 2.25 ERA. He's walked 11 batters over 20 innings in that span but has bottled up hitters with runners in scoring position, holding opponents to a .154 average in those situations compared to .316 previously this season.

The right-hander has a 4.09 ERA in two starts against the Phillies this season, yielding three runs over six innings in a 3-1 road loss on July 18.

While Buchanan has struggled on the road, Koehler is 5-4 with a 2.97 ERA in 12 home starts.

Dee Gordon is batting .433 during a seven-game hitting streak and .389 in the season series, while Martin Prado has 14 RBIs and is batting .392 with 13 RBIs in his last 14 contests overall. He's expected to return after missing three games due to a wrist injury.

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