Richards takes down Giants for 1st win
MIAMI — Trevor Richards had pitched well enough to earn his first big league win on two occasions.
The Marlins rookie even outdueled Clayton Kershaw in one game in Los Angeles while striking out 10, though he didn’t figure in the decision. His reward was a month-long trip to the minor leagues.
Finally, in his second start since returning to Miami — and seventh of his career — Richards got credit for the elusive first win as the Marlins defeated the Giants, 3-1, on Tuesday at Marlins Park. Miami has won the first two games in a four-game series.
Richards held the Giants to one run and two hits — both singles — in six innings.
The bullpen nailed it down for the rookie with zeroes over the final three innings. Kyle Barraclough closed it out for his fourth save.
Shortstop JT Riddle had the key hit with a two-run double and also made an outstanding play at shortstop that helped keep Richards from falling into an early hole.
Riddle also figured in two
double plays turned by the Marlins, including one that ended the eighth. The inning had the makings for trouble after a leadoff infield hit by Hunter Pence that deflected off reliever Brad Ziegler’s glove.
Richards got off to a rocky start when he walked the first two batter of the game and threw a wild pitch that moved them into scoring position.
Not a good sign when catcher J.T. Realmuto had use up two of the allotted six mound visits within the first three batters.
Richards did well to limit the Giants to a run in that opening frame. He was aided by a dazzling backhand stop by Riddle on Brandon Crawford’s hard smash, which plated the run on the groundout.
Riddle gave Richards a lead to work with his hit in the third inning, when the Marlins broke through with three runs off Chris Stratton. Starlin Castro drove in the initial run with a bases-loaded single and Riddle followed with a liner to right.
The chance for a much bigger inning was foiled when Miguel Rojas scorched a liner back to the mount that Stratton caught in self-defense and tossed to third to double off Castro.
Richards made his mark in the Marlins organization when he was their Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2017 and then impressed in spring training this year.
He reached the majors the hard way after going undrafted out of Drury University in Springfield, Mo, and toiling in the Independent Frontier League before the Marlins signed him in July 2016. He became the first player from the Drury program to make it to the majors since starting play after a 30-year hiatus in 2007.
Other Drury University products to make it to the majors were Bill Virdon (St. Louis and Pittsburgh; 195568), Ron Kanehl (Mets; 196264), and Roy Smalley Jr. (Cubs, Milwaukee Braves, Phillies; 1948-58).