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(Sports Network) - The Atlanta Braves are expected to be one of the main contenders for the National League East throne this season, but the Florida Marlins are currently the team to catch in the division.

The surprising Marlins try to maintain their grasp on first place when they begin a two-game series with the surging Braves tonight at Turner Field.

Florida enters this set with a 12-8 record and a 1 1/2-game lead on both the Mets and Phillies in the East standings. The Marlins do come in tonight's contest off a loss, however, as the club was dealt a 3-2 setback by Pittsburgh last night at PNC Park.

Ricky Nolasco (1-2) held the Pirates scoreless and yielded just one hit over the game's first five innings, but the Florida starter ran into trouble in the sixth. He was reached for three runs on four consecutive hits during the frame and wound up receiving the loss.

Jorge Cantu knocked in both Marlins runs and belted a solo homer in the seventh that pulled his team within 3-2. The third baseman finished 3-for-4 on the evening.

Atlanta appears to have rebounded from a slow start to its 2008 campaign. The Braves strung together a season-best five-game win streak before falling to Washington in Tuesday's finale of a two-game set.

Nationals rookie John Lannan outdueled John Smoltz to lead Washington to a 6-0 triumph on Tuesday, with the young lefty limiting the Braves to five hits over five shutout innings.

Smoltz (3-1) was outstanding as well in a losing cause, as the veteran ace surrendered just one run on five hits in seven innings and racked up 10 strikeouts. The 40-year-old now has 3,006 K's over the course of his storied career and became the 16th pitcher in major league history to reach the 3,000 strikeout milestone.

The Braves' bats hope for a rebound when the team takes its swings tonight against struggling Florida starter Andrew Miller.

Miller, one of the key figures in the Marlins' blockbuster offseason trade with Detroit that sent Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to the Tigers, has failed to make much of an impression with his new club so far. The highly- touted lefty is 0-2 with a gaudy 9.68 earned run average over his first four starts and allowed a whopping 30 hits and nine walks in just 17 2/3 innings of work.

The 22-year-old baffled the Braves in his lone career start against Atlanta, however. That came at Turner Field on June 24 of last season, with Miller giving up a mere four hits in six shutout innings to lead Detroit to a 5-0 win.

Jeff Bennett will make another fill-in start for the Braves this evening and delivered a strong performance his last time out. The journeyman righty fired 4 2/3 innings against Los Angeles on Friday, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out four Dodgers.

Bennett began the year in the bullpen but was inserted into the rotation due to injuries to Tom Glavine and Mike Hampton. He also made a spot start against Pittsburgh back on April 3 and gave up a pair of runs in a four-inning no decision.

The 27-year-old pitched against the Marlins in relief on April 16 and was touched for two runs and three hits, including a solo homer by Florida's Luis Gonzalez, in an inning of work. He has permitted seven runs in a combined 3 1/3 innings over three overall relief appearances versus Florida.

The Marlins took two of three matchups with the Braves in Miami last week, but were swept in a three-game series during their last visit to Turner Field back in September. Atlanta is 18-9 against Florida as the host since 2005.