--2B Dan Uggla, 0-for-7 on the homestand going into Wednesday, has a good chance to break out of his slump Thursday. The Marlins face Atlanta RHP Jair Jurrjens, and Uggla is 5-for-8 against Jurrjens.
--RHP Anibal Sanchez (1-3) goes into his start against Atlanta on Thursday hoping to end a disturbing trend. He has allowed six runs in each of his last two starts. Sanchez is 2-2 with a 4.66 ERA in five career starts against the Braves. His only win this year came in Atlanta on April 16 when he allowed two runs in six innings in his second start of the season.
--Give manager Fredi Gonzalez credit for using humor to deflect controversy.
Rookie CF Cameron Maybin, who struck out three times Monday, was out of the lineup Tuesday. Alfredo Amezaga started in center field.
"It's a new league rule," Gonzalez said when asked why Amezaga was replacing Maybin. "On Cinco de Mayo, you've got to play all the Mexican and Mexican-American players you have on your team. We may even pitch (Ricky) Nolasco."
For the record, there were two players of Mexican descent in the starting lineup: Amezaga and 1B Jorge Cantu.
BY THE NUMBERS: 5 -- Grand slams allowed by the Marlins through May 3, including three on their recent road trop that.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I didn't know you could take five minutes in the ninth inning to find a hitter." -- RHP Matt Lindstrom, on the Mets taking so long to get a pinch hitter April 29. Mets manager Jerry Manuel was fined over the weekend for violating the league's pace-of-game rules.
