(Sports Network) - An interleague series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Florida Marlins more often than not features a pair of teams fighting to stay out of the cellar in their respective divisions.

However, this season has been a different story, as just for the second time in 11 years, both clubs come into the first matchup of this series at .500 or better. It last happened back in 2004, when the Rays entered the six-game set at the break-even point while the Marlins were 39-33.

Not only do both teams start this three-game series at Tropicana Field well above .500, but both enter tonight's contest right in the thick of their division's races.

Tampa sits 10 games above .500 at 38-28, 2 1/2 games back of the front-running Boston Red Sox in the AL East, while the Marlins, at 36-30, are just three back of the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East, thanks in part to taking two of three from their division rivals.

Florida, though, was denied a sweep in its series with the Phillies on Thursday, as Jamie Moyer baffled them over eight scoreless innings of a 3-0 Philadelphia win.

Scott Olsen (4-3) was the hard-luck loser for Florida, as he struck out seven and walked one in seven innings, allowing two runs -- one earned -- on six hits. Both runs Olsen allowed scored on a wild pitch and ensuing error by catcher Matt Treanor in the sixth.

The loss was just the second in the last six games for the Marlins.

Getting the call for the Fish tonight will be 21-year-old right-hander Ryan Tucker, who will be making just the second major league start of his career. Tucker was victorious in his debut on Sunday against Cincinnati, holding the Reds to a run and two hits in five innings. However, he did walk five batters in the win.

Tampa will turn to right-hander Andy Sonnanstine, who is 6-3 with a 4.88 ERA. Sonnanstine, though, is winless in his last four starts and received a no- decision his last time out on Saturday against the Texas Rangers. The 25-year- old hurler gave up two runs and six hits over five innings of that one, but did not factor in his team's 5-4 triumph,

Sonnanstine won his only other start against the Marlins, holding them to a pair of runs and seven hits in seven innings.

Tampa was off on Thursday, but enters this series having dropped three of its last four games, including the final two tests of its three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Florida took four of six from the Rays last season and is 12-6 in the series since the start of the 2005 campaign, with six of those wins coming at the Trop in that span.

The Marlins are 106-83 all-time in interleague play, while the Rays have posted a 75-106 mark against the Junior Circuit.