SPORTSTICKER NL PREVIEW MIAMI (Ticker) -- The Pittsburgh Pirates try to salvage a split of their four-game series with baseball's worst team -- the Florida Marlins. Pittburgh ended a season-high five-game losing streak with an 11-4 victory Saturday. The Pirates scored just 12 runs during the losing streak. Pirates catcher Jason Kendall has reached base safely in 20 of his last 21 games and is hitting .434 (33-for-76) in May. Jason Schmidt (4-3, 3.77 ERA) looks to end his personal losing streak at two games for Pittsburgh. The righthander has allowed 11 runs -- eight earned -- and 16 hits over 10 2/3 in losses to Houston and Atlanta. Schmidt gave up more than three runs only once in his first five starts this season but has done so three times in his last four outings. Schmidt beat the Marlins in his only appearance against them last season. The Marlins' longest winning streak of the season ended at two games Saturday, but they are a respectable 7-8 since opening the season 6-22. Alex Fernandez (1-2, 1.64) hopes to keep up his effective pitching for Florida. When healthy, the righthander has been very sharp this season, allowing just four earned runs and 20 hits over 22 innings with seven walks and 16 strikeouts. He turned in his best start of the season Tuesday in a no-decision against the Cubs, pitching seven scoreless innings. Fernandez is 1-1 with a 1.69 ERA in two career starts against Pittsburgh.  