MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (Interstat) — The Miami Marlins host the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday at loanDepot Park, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. EDT. Expected gametime temperature is 81 degrees with clouds.

The Marlins (15-16) enter the series opener with momentum after taking two of three from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Miami won 3-2 on Wednesday, with right-hander Sandy Alcantara earning the win by allowing two earned runs over six innings. Esteury Ruiz went 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. Miami’s previous three series have been split or better, but the club has alternated wins and losses over its last five games.

Left-hander Eury Pérez (2-2, 3.86 ERA) will start for the Marlins. In his last outing, a 6-3 loss at San Francisco, he allowed three earned runs over five innings. Pérez has struggled with length but has struck out 22 batters over 25.2 innings this season.

The Phillies (11-19) are coming off a 7-0 shutout win over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday. Left-hander Jesús Luzardo dominated, striking out eight over seven scoreless innings while allowing two hits. Philadelphia has won just three of its last 10 games overall, a stretch that included a four-game sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs.

Right-hander Zack Wheeler (0-0, 2.45 ERA) is expected to make his season debut after an extended spring buildup. His velocity and command will be a key storyline for a Phillies rotation that has posted a 4.95 ERA in April.

One player to watch for the Phillies is left-hander Cristopher Sánchez, who last pitched in relief Tuesday. Sánchez has been effective in bulk innings, though his results have been uneven. Over his last five outings, Sánchez has a 3.78 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 29 innings, including a dominant six-inning, zero-earned-run performance against Atlanta on April 18. However, he was tagged for six earned runs over 5.1 innings at Chicago on April 23.

For Miami, Alcantara is a pivotal figure in the bullpen after returning from Tommy John surgery. He has a 3.62 ERA over 27.1 innings and has been the Marlins’ most consistent arm, holding opponents to two or fewer earned runs in three of his last four outings.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 5-2 Marlins victory. Despite Miami’s home-field edge, Philadelphia has been installed as a -1.5 runline favorite. The over/under is set at 8 runs.

The two clubs are scheduled to play four games in this series, with the second game Saturday at 4:10 p.m. EDT.