Bour, Dietrich will get chance to play vs. lefties

ATLANTA -- In Justin Bour and Derek Dietrich, the Marlins have two left-handed hitters with power potential. Each has reached the double-digit mark in home runs.

Still, there are questions if either one will develop into an everyday player. The Marlins plan on using these final weeks to help find out, and they got an opportunity in Monday's 4-0 win over the Braves at Turner Field.

Although the Braves started right-hander Shelby Miller, who worked seven innings, Bour and Dietrich faced lefty Matt Marksberry in the eighth inning. Bour came through with an RBI double, while Dietrich lined out to center.

For the most part, neither has seen much action against lefties. That's about to change.

"We want to answer those questions and see exactly how they handle that, and provide them that opportunity to see if they are guys who can be in the lineup against both righties and lefties," manager Dan Jennings said. "That opportunity is going to present itself. They'll get that chance."

Bour is second on the club in homers (14) and now 46 RBIs. But the first baseman has seen most of his action against right-handed pitchers.

He now has 47 plate appearances and is 10-for-43 (.233) against lefties with three doubles and seven RBIs.

The Marlins appear willing to hand Bour the full-time job at first base for 2016. The stretch run will give the club a chance to see if he is a platoon candidate or should be the regular.

Video: MIA@WSH: Dietrich drills solo shot to the second deck

Dietrich's situation is a bit different, because he's being used at numerous positions. He's seeing time in left field, and he made his big league debut at second base. He also has been used at third.

Dietrich belted his 10th homer on Sunday in a 7-4 loss to the Nationals. His homer came off right-hander Stephen Strasburg.

The Marlins have used Dietrich sparingly against lefties. He has 37 plate appearances and is 6-for-31 (.194).

The Marlins main power source is Giancarlo Stanton, who has 27 homers and 67 RBIs, but he's been on the disabled list since June 27 with a broken left hamate bone.

"You don't replace Giancarlo," Jennings said. "But to see guys step up that can supply power, it just gives you that one swing to put up multiple runs. That's big."