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Cubs Seek Season-High Fifth Straight Win

(Sports Network) - The Chicago Cubs can climb a step closer to a .500 road record tonight when they visit the Florida Marlins for the second game of a three-game weekend series at Sun Life Stadium.

Chicago won Friday's opener and improved to 33-39 on the road in 2010 when Ryan Dempster threw seven shutout innings in a 2-0 triumph.

Dempster (14-10) gave up four hits and three walks with five strikeouts for the Cubs, who have won four straight. Geovany Soto and Alfonso Soriano each drove in a run.

Alex Sanabia (4-3) was touched for two runs on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings for the Marlins, who have dropped their last four games. Logan Morrison and Chad Tracy each hit a double in the loss.

For Chicago, rookie right-hander Casey Coleman meets the Marlins for the first time in his 10th major-league appearance and fifth start.

A 15th-round draft pick in 2008, Coleman debuted with a 2 1/3-inning relief stint against the Milwaukee Brewers on Aug. 2, allowing eight hits and six runs in the Cubs' 18-1 loss.

He picked up his first win with a 9-1 decision at Washington on Aug. 23, allowing three hits and a run in 6 1/3 innings.

In five starts, Coleman is 1-2 and has allowed 30 hits and 13 runs in 28 2/3 innings.

He's posted a stingy 2.53 earned run average in five road appearances.

For Florida, 26-year-old Venezuelan Anibal Sanchez can add to a career-high victory total in his 79th big-league outing.

The right-hander picked up win No. 12 of this season on Sept. 11 at Washington after allowing four hits and a run in 7 2/3 innings of a 4-1 triumph.

He won 10 games as a rookie for the Marlins in 2006, but had won just eight over three injury-plagued seasons from 2007-09.

Sanchez is 1-1 in two career starts against the Cubs with a 6.75 ERA.

Florida took two of three from the Cubs back in May.