A couple of bad pitches hurt Garrett
NEW YORK
Two swings hurt Miami Marlins starting pitcher Braxton Garrett on what was otherwise a solid start Saturday against the New York Mets.
Pete Alonso hit a solo home run in the fourth inning and Francisco Lindor hit a two-run shot in the sixth against the Marlins’ left-handed pitcher.
The Mets and Marlins were tied 3-3 at the end of nine innings.
Alonso’s home run came when he lifted a slider below the strike zone on an 0-1 count a projected 418 feet to left field with two outs in the fourth inning. It was the Mets’ first hit of the game against Garrett, who had retired 11 of the first 12 batters he faced while allowing just one walk in that span.
Two innings later, Lindor hit an elevated fastball on an 0-1 count 390 feet and off the left field foul pole for a two-run home run that put the Mets up 3-2 and chased Garrett from the game.
The two home runs accounted for the only runs Garrett allowed over his 52⁄3 innings as he otherwise kept the Mets’ lineup in check. He struck out three and allowed just three hits — the two home runs and a Tomas Nido infield single in the sixth — while striking out three.
It’ was a positive step for the 24-year-old lefty, who was coming off arguably the best start of his MLB career (one earned run allowed over a careerlong 71⁄3 innings with four strikeouts).
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES
The Marlins had a couple of chances to break the game open early but failed to execute.
They loaded the bases with no outs in the first
“You’ve seen teams kind of come back to the pack,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “It’s become bunched up, and that’s really what we were looking for to keep ourselves in the race.”
THE SCHEDULE AHEAD
Miami wraps up its series with the Mets on Sunday and has three more games against the NL East leader this month — July 29-31 at loanDepot park.
Outside of that, the rest of the Marlins’ schedule in July, on paper at least, is relatively easy. They play all seven of their games against the Pittsburgh Pirates, four against the Cincinnati Reds, one with the Texas Rangers and three against the Phillies. That’s 12 games against teams with sub.500 records and a series against a Phillies team the Marlins are 4-3 against so far this season.
If the Marlins take care of the games they should — and it’s worth noting they’re 17-8 against teams that currently have a losing record — it sets them up well.
“You have to win the games you have a chance to win,” Mattingly said. “Put yourself in a position to win those games.”
WHERE TO IMPROVE
Fielding as close to a full, healthy roster would go a long way toward putting Miami in the best position to win.
Of course, it’s virtually impossible to field the same team, the same 26-man roster, over a 162-game season. Injuries happen. It’s inevitable.
That said, the Marlins have had injuries come in bunches and caused them to deviate from their initial strategy of rotating guys in and out of the lineup based on matchups and scheduled days off to maximize the players they had.
Most recently, the Marlins were without both infielder Joey Wendle and third baseman/outfielder Brian Anderson for basically all of June, Wendle sidelined by a hamstring injury for the second time this season and Anderson out with back spasms.
Both returned to the lineup over the past two weeks only for another two to be sidelined. Jazz Chisholm Jr. has been out since June 29 with a right lower back strain.
Outfielder Jorge Soler has been out since July 1 with bilateral pelvis inflammation. inning on a Jon Berti double, Garrett Cooper walk and a catcher’s interference call with Jesus Aguilar at bat. Jesus Sanchez then struck out and Avisail Garcia hit into a double play. Zero runs scored.
They loaded the bases again in the sixth with one out on an Aguilar single, Sanchez walk and Garcia single. Brian Anderson followed with a double to left-center field but only one run scored with Sanchez thrown out at home plate after hesitating on the basepaths. Garcia eventually scored on a Seth Lugo wild pitch to give Miami a brief 2-1 lead.
EJECTIONS
Cooper and manager Don Mattingly were both ejected following Cooper’s at-bat to end the top of the seventh inning.
One pitch before hitting a grounder back to the pitcher’s mound for the final out of the inning, Cooper complained about a called strike that made the count 1-2. Cooper then rolled over a 96.2 mph
INJURY ISSUES
Miami is also without two of its five main starting pitchers. Jesus Luzardo has been out since May 12 with a left forearm strain and Edward Cabrera since June 13 with right elbow tendinitis.
At the time of both injuries, the Marlins were optimistic both pitchers’ time away would be minimal. That hasn’t been the case.
As a result, they are now relying on Braxton Garrett and Daniel Castano to hold down the final two spots of the rotation.
The team is also currently without Anthony Bender and Cole Sulser, two of their high-leverage options out of the bullpen. With limited off days and so many close games, sinker.
Home plate umpire Mark Ripperger ejected Cooper after the designated hitter made more comments on his way back to the dugout. Mattingly, not pleased, left the dugout and argued with Ripperger before being ejected as well.
METS RETIRE NO. 17
In a pregame ceremony, the Mets honored Keith Hernandez by retiring his No. 17.
A slew of Hernandez’s former teammates — including Mookie Wilson, Tim Teufel, Ed Lynch and Ron Darling — were on the field for the nearly hour-long ceremony as well as Gary Cohen, Steve Cohen, Mike Piazza, Buck Showalter and Hernandez’s family.
Mattingly, who played first base for the Yankees when Hernandez was playing first base for the Mets, joined Hernandez for a photo on the field after the ceremony.
“When you get to the big leagues, I wanted to be a good defensive player, and Keith was like the standard of how you play first,” Mattingly said. “Definitely a guy that I paid attention to, and really tried to see how he handled certain situations. … He’s a guy that I respect a lot.”
UP NEXT
The Marlins and Mets close this four-game series Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 1:40 p.m. Sandy Alcantara
(9-3, 1.82 ERA) will be on the mound for the Marlins opposite the Mets’ Taijuan Walker (7-2, 2.86).
After that, Miami has a seven game homestand — four games against the Pittsburgh Pirates, three against the Philadelphia Phillies — to wrap up their schedule before the AllStar Break.
Jordan McPherson: 305-376-2129, @J_McPherson1126 high-leverage guys (Bass, Okert, Tanner Scott) have been taxed.
“Given all the injures,” general manager Kim Ng said, “we’re holding our own.”
The Marlins hope a return to health will also result in a boost in offensive production. The front office made improving the lineup a focal point this offseason when it signed Avisail Garcia and Soler as free agents and traded for Wendle.
After struggling to hit in key situations the first two months of the season, the Marlins appear to be turning a corner.
They entered Saturday hitting .274 with runners in scoring position since the start of June — the highest average in the National League in that span — and have averaged 4.7 runs per game in those 36 contests.
“Guys have kind of calmed down at this point in the season,” bench coach James Rowson said. “They’re just going up there and looking to have quality at-bats.”
That has translated to wins.
And, the Marlins hope, it will be sustainable over the next three weeks and beyond.
“We have a stretch right here where we can make things happen,” shortstop Miguel Rojas said, “so by the trade deadline, we have an opportunity to be aggressive and hopefully keep this group together . ... That’s everybody’s goal: Keep this group together after the deadline.”
Jordan McPherson: 305-376-2129, @J_McPherson1126