Sometimes, a pitcher has incredible success against a team, and nobody can figure out why.

Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer, who will start the series finale as the Marlins look for a sweep on Thursday, is a prime example.

In eight career starts against the Marlins, the 45-year-old soft-throwing lefty has eight wins while compiling a 3.51 ERA in just over 51 1/3 innings. In his only previous start against the Marlins this season, Moyer allowed five runs in seven innings. But somehow, he found a way to come out with the victory on June 1.

"I have no answer," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We thought we had him last time, and he snuck [a win] in there. What are you going to do?"

Right fielder Jeremy Hermida calls Moyer "crafty" and said the 22-year veteran is tough to figure out when he's on his game.

"When he's hitting his spots, he's one of those guys that it's tough to square up and hit the ball hard off of," Hermida said. "He'll keep you off-balance, and he's one of the best at going out there and reading what you're thinking."

"Hopefully, he makes some mistakes, and he doesn't throw like he has in the past."

Dan Uggla knows exactly what Hermida is talking about. In 21 career at-bats against Moyer, Uggla has managed only two hits -- an .095 batting average -- and has struck out 10 times with just one extra-base hit and no RBIs. In their only meeting this season, the 28-year-old second baseman went 0-for-3 with two punchouts against Moyer.

"He's got great stuff," Uggla said. "He's got a great changeup. He's got a good cutter. He mixes it up. He pitches in, out. [He] throws his changeup in, he throws it out, and everything looks the same. It doesn't matter how hard you throw if you can disguise your pitches the way he does.

"I just think I have to have a better approach against him."

Pitching matchup
FLA: LHP Scott Olsen (4-2, 3.44 ERA)
Olsen pitched perhaps the best six innings he's thrown all year in his last start, against the Reds on Saturday. Olsen registered six full innings without giving up an earned run on four hits, a walk and five strikeouts. But shaky defense on the infield made him leave in a 4-4 game.

PHI: LHP Jamie Moyer (6-3, 4.56 ERA)
Moyer gave up two runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings, and was in line for the loss Friday if not for a Braves error with two outs in the ninth. Moyer surrendered a two-run homer and a triple in the sixth, before leaving with one out. In his last five starts, Moyer is 4-0 with a 3.94 ERA (14 ER in 32 innings). He hasn't lost in his past five starts and has pitched at least six innings each time out in that span.

Tidbits
Josh Willingham went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and a walk in an extended spring training game in Jupiter, Fla., on Wednesday. Gonzalez said Willingham will travel to Double-A Carolina on Friday and stay with the Mudcats for their road trip in Chattanooga, Tenn., on June 17. ... The Marlins-Phillies game on Saturday, July 19, has been changed from 7:10 p.m. ET to 3:55 p.m. ET and is now set to be televised on FOX. ... The start time for the Marlins' Sept. 22 makeup game against the Reds has been changed from 12:35 p.m. ET to 1:10 p.m. ET. ... All of the Marlins' 11 runs in this series have come off six home runs. ... Andrew Miller went seven innings against the Phillies on Wednesday. The last time a Marlins starter had gone seven innings was May 22 -- also Miller.

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Up next
• Friday: Marlins (Ryan Tucker, 1-0, 1.80) at Rays (Andy Sonnanstine, 6-3, 4.88), 7:10 p.m. ET
• Saturday: Marlins (Mark Hendrickson, 7-4, 5.76) at Rays (Matt Garza, 4-3, 4.38), 6:10 p.m. ET
• Sunday: Marlins (Ricky Nolasco, 6-4, 4.63) at Rays (Edwin Jackson, 4-5, 4.06), 1:40 p.m. ET