Ross will be earning $2.25 million , Nolasco $2.4 million while terms about Amezaga’s contract were not disclosed.
The one player that the Marlins were unable to get signed was Dan Uggla. Uggla and Marlins will now head to salary arbitration in February to decide his 2009 salary.
]]>Ricky Nolasco was the starting pitcher for the fish and he ended up with a no decision. Nolasco threw six innings and gave up six hits and three runs. He did strike out five batters but also gave up a solo home run.
Andrew Miller was the lossing pitcher as he was charged with two runs while not recording an out. He is now 6-10 on the season. Logan Kensing and Arthur Rhodes both gave up one run in relief as well.
Four different Marlins players had one rbi each. Jeremy Hermida and Josh Willingham both hit solo home runs while Cameron Maybin and Matt Treanor both helped out with one run as well. The other two runs that the Marlins scored were un-earned as they scored on an error and a wild pitch.
Now the team will board a plane and fly to Washington D.C. where they will begin a three game series with the Nationals on Tuesday night.
]]>Ricky Nolasco improved to 14-7 as he tossed seven innings. Nolasco only gave up five hits and two runs in the game. Both of the runs came off the bat of Hunter Pence who hit two solo home runs off of Nolasco. Logan Kensing and Jesus Delgado both threw one inning of relief and did a good job as well.
Jorge Cantu and Alfredo Amezaga both led the Marlins at the plate with four rbi each. Cantu’s rbi’s came via a grand slam while Amezaga had a three run double and rbi single in the game. Hanley Ramirez also had a great game as he hit two solo home runs to finish with two rbi. Mike Jacobs also had two rbi in the game as he had a two-run single. Cameron Maybin and Cory Ross finished up the scoring with one rbi each.
It was a great night for the Marlins and theyw ill go for another win on Thursday against the Astros. Marlins Blog
]]>The marlins blew the game wide open with three runs in the top of the ninth inning when Dan Uggla had a two run double and then he was knocked in on a single by Wes Helms. Josh Willingham had a rbi ground rule double in the eighth inning as well. Luis Gonzalez added a two run home run in the game while Ricky Nolasco contributed with an rbi of his own.
Nolasco threw a pretty good game as he pitched 7 2/3 innings. He allowed seven hits and three runs while striking out eight Phillies. Arthur Rhodes and Matt Lindstrom pitched in relief to finish off the phillies.
Great win for the Marlins and now they will be off on Thursday before starting up a weekend series with the Washington Nationals.
]]>Ricky Nolasco started the game for the Marlins. He pitched six innings giving up two runs on seven hits, he did not walk anyone and struck out eight. The winning pitcher was Doug Waechter who worked just one inning of relief. He did give up an earned run, but was the pitcher of record when the Marlins took the lead.
The Marlins played sloppy in the field and it cost them a couple of runs early in the game, Dan Uggla was charged with only one error, but it was much worse than just that one play. Cody Ross misjudged a ball that went over his head, and Uggla made an errant throw on the back end of what should have been a double play, however, because you can’t assume the double play, he was not charged with an error.
The Marlins’ offense took advantage of the Mets’ terrible pitching to walk away with a victory. John Baker homered in the fifth inning to make the score 2-1, and the Marlins tied the score at two in the bottom of the sixth on a single by Cody Ross. The Marlins were down by a run in the bottom of the eighth, when Josh Willingham doubled to left to lead off the inning and scored on a single to center by Dan Uggla, Uggla advanced to third on a single by Wes Helms. John Baker got credit for a bunt single that scored Uggla, and loaded the bases. Mets reliever Scott Schoeneweis then retired both Alfredo Amezega and Hanley Ramirez before facing pinch hitter Robert Andino, Schoeneweis threw a wild pitch that scored Helms and moved the other two runners into scoring postion. Andino then hit a two run double to center, and would advance to third on Schoeneweis’ second wild pitch of the inning but was stranded there when Jorge Cantu grounded out to end the inning.
The Marlins will have on the mound Scott Olsen (6-5 4.07 era). The Mets will counter with Oliver Perez (6-6 4.15 era). Game time is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.
]]>Ricky Nolasco had a night that he does not want to remember. He allowed eight hits and five runs while only pitching five innings. Nolasco took the loss for the fish and is now 10-6 on the season. Ryan Tucket came into the game after Nolasco left and he gave up four more runs in only 2 1/3 innings.
The Marlins will now travel to Chicago to take on the Cubs for the next four days. The Cubs are struggling but I can see the Marlins having a lot of troubles in Chicago. What do the Marlins fans think?
]]>Ricky Nolasco pitched seven hits and only gave up three hits and two run while picking up the win. Nolasco really stepped up and threw a quality game as he improved his record to 9-4. Reynel Pinto and Kevin Gregg tossed scoreless innings in the eighth and ninth to finish off the Nats. Gregg recorded his 15th save in the game.
Alfredo Amezaga provided the big hit for the Marlins as he hit a two run home run in the seventh inning off of Nationals reliever Charlie Manning. Amezaga was the MVP for the Marlins as he finished the day with two rbi. Robert Andino had a rbi single in the sixth inning to get the Marlins scoring started. Wes Helms added an insurance run in the eighth inning with a rbi sac fly that scored Jorge Cantu.
Good come from behind win for the Marlins. Anytime you win a series you are doing what you are supposed to do. Now the fish will begin a four game series with the Colorado Rockies on Thurday night.
Marlins Blog
]]>Nolasco was his usual solid self, allowing three runs on seven hits over seven innings and giving his team a chance to win. But it was Renyel Pinto who got the win by pitching a scoreless eighth before turning it over to closer Kevin Gregg. The Marlins had just scored three times in the top of the ninth, a three run double to left by Dan Uggla, who the A’s have got to be sick of, being the key hit. As they have done seemingly all year, the Marlins battled back from behind in this game, getting a key HR once again, this time by their own Toy Cannon, Cody Ross. Ross’ homer in the top of the eighth tied the game at 3-3.
So the stage was set for Kevin Gregg in the bottom of the ninth to come in and nail down the win. Back in the late 70s, the Baltimore Orioles had a relief pitcher named Don Stanhouse. Earl Weaver called him “Full Pack” because he’d go through a full pack of cigarettes up in the tunnel behind the dugout, sweating out a Stanhouse save. He did get the save more often than not, but it was never easy. Kevin Gregg is becoming the Marlins’ Stanhouse, as it seems his every save is an adventure. Last night was a good example. Given a three run lead, Gregg gave up some scratch hits and some walks, and suddenly it was bases loaded, 6-4, as the As had already plated one run, and Gregg facing Ryan Sweeney. Sweeney hit a sharp grounder down the fist baseline headed for the right field corner, but Jorge Cantu dived, made the stop and the toss to Gregg covering for the final out.
The win tonight, coupled with the Phillies fourth straight loss, leaves the Marlins just one game out in the eastern division of the National League. They conclude the road trip tomorrow.
]]>Tucker gave the Marlins a solid six inning start, giving up two earned runs on seven hits, striking out four. He featured a lively fastball in the mid nineties, and had good command. He only walked two batters, which was very encouraging indeed, considering the control problems which have periodically plagued Marlins pitchers this year. Suddenly the Marlins’ pitching staff seems to be jelling into a formidable, if still a bit inconsistent, unit. The team that started the season with more question marks than answers, is now starting to evolve into one of the most promising young pitching staffs in the league. Tonight’s performance by Tucker follows another impressive start by Andrew Miller on Monday, giving the Marlins a potent lefty-righty rookie punch. Both youngsters feature electric arms that can bring the heat at 96 mph, accompanied by good breaking pitches. The talent is obvious; the only question was whether they can consistently show the command of the strike zone needed to win games in the major leagues. In addition to these two phenoms, the starting staff has gotten good performances from the “old men” of the staff, Scott Olsen, 24, and Ricky Nolasco, 25, who has emerged surprisingly as the team’s stopper this year. If this young staff continues to perform at this level, the Marlins have to be considered favorites to win the Eastern Division. Admittedly that’s a big “if” because the rookies are still learning how to pitch at the major league level, but the talent is there, and that talent, combined with a Marlins offense that bludgeons the opposition nightly under a barrage of home runs, could carry this team to victory down the stretch. In baseball, it all begins and ends with pitching, and this young pitching staff is starting to come around. They will be getting a boost soon with the return of Josh Johnson and maybe Anibal Sanchez as well, so the prospects certainly are bright.
In addition to the good start from Tucker and the almost routine long ball display by the offense, the Marlins’ defense played an error free game, and the bullpen closed it out, but not before closer Kevin Gregg got everyone nervous again in the ninth inning. If the Marlins are to contend down the stretch, it is going to take more than just home runs and good performances by the starting pitchers. They are going to have to have more games with a big fat “0″ under the “E” on the scoreboard, and Gregg and the rest of the bullpen are going to have to tighten up their act as well. The Marlins slugging has enabled them to mostly overcome their suspect fielding this year, and the bullpen has been wildly inconsistent. Gregg in particular has been a 9th inning cardiac arrest in progress; even when he does manage to get the save he does so the hard way, walking batters, giving up hits, and in general making Marlins fans sweat every last out. Memo to Kevin: a one two three ninth inning is ok, you know. Every game does NOT need a dramatic ending.
Anyway, two out of three from Seattle is very good, and now The Fish are off to Oakland for three games starting Friday.
]]>After the Marlins’ 6-1 victory over the lowly Mariners, Miller improved to 5-5 with an ERA below 5.00 for the first time this season. At the end of April, Miller’s ERA was 9.12. But May and June have both seen sub-4.00 work from the young lefty. It certainly seems to be a better performance than former fan favorite Dontrelle Willis who is struggling in Florida (Lakeland, FL).
Meanwhile, earlier in the day Ricky Nolasco was name NL co-player of the week after going 2-0 with 1.23 ERA and 15 strikeouts.
Scott Olsen has been the staff ace all year long, despite only 4 wins. His 3.27 ERA is by far and away the best on the staff. It is important to note that Mark Hendrickson’s 7 wins are greatly appreciated, but his late May and June performances deny him from being a part of the Marlins’ Big Three. (Also, it wouldn’t be mathematically sound.)
With a record of 38 and 32, the Marlins remain striking distance away from the Philadelphia Phillies at 3 games back. If the back end of the rotation, Hendrickson and rookie Ryan Tucker, follows the Big Three’s lead, there would be no reason the Fish couldn’t catch the Phillies.
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