Marlins handcuffed
Dodgers’ Greinke in control, beats Miami.
MIAMI — It was a tall order facing the Miami Marlins this weekend, like taking on a twoheaded giant — and having to do so without their most effective weapon.
Saturday’s win over reigning National League MVP and Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw was a much-needed morale boost for a team that had just learned slugging right-fielder Giancarlo Stanton would be out for an extended period with a broken hand.
An unlikely quinella eluded the Marlins as they couldn’t do anything against Zack Greinke, the right-handed component of the Dodgers’ lethal left-right combination in a 2-0 loss Sunday at Marlins Park.
The Marlins didn’t mount a serious threat against Greinke in 7 2⁄3 shutout innings as he limited them to four well-scattered hits to improve to 4-0 in seven career starts against Miami.
It was the first win for Greinke (6-2) since May 5, ending a victory drought spanning nine starts. It was his third consecutive outing without allowing a run, pushing the scoreless streak to 20 2⁄3 innings.
It continued a trend for the Marlins that began before Stanton was hurt. They are 1-5 on a homestand that has seen them score fewer than two runs four times.
“We’ve got to cut down on the strikeouts and put the ball in play,” manager Dan Jennings said. “We all know we’ve lost a big bat in the middle of the order. [Stanton] won’t be there, so
we have to take better atbats. Concentration is going to have to improve and we’re going to have to put the ball in play and make the other team make the outs against us.”
They are 2 for 36 with runners in scoring position in the six games after coming up empty in five chances Sunday.
Marlins rookie Jose Urena scuffled through five innings without sharp command. But the only run he allowed was achieved without a ball leaving the infield.
Urena, who allowed four hits and walked four, had runners on base in most innings but was able to pitch around trouble until the fifth.
Dee Gordon made a diving stop at second on Jimmy Rollins’ sharp grounder but took a moment too long getting the ball out of his glove. It was enough for Rollins to beat the throw on a close play.
A balk by Urena sent Rollins to second, and he advanced to third on Greinke’s sacrifice bunt. The balk was called on Greinke’s first bunt attempt.
Nonetheless, the young right-hander should have escaped unscathed. Following a walk to Joc Pederson, Urena got Howie Kendrick to hit a grounder to second that appeared earmarked for an inning-ending double play.
Adeiny Hechavarria had time but Pederson made a strong slide and the relay was wide to first, pulling Justin Bour off the bag as Rollins scampered home.
“These guys have turned so many unbelievable double plays. It’s the one time we don’t get that turn, and it cost us,” Jennings said.
It was the third time in the past five outings that Urena has limited an opponent to one run. The hard-luck Dominican saw his record slip to 1-4 though he lowered his ERA from 4.34 to 4.04.
Meanwhile, Greinke in complete control.
The league leader in ERA
was Dan Jennings, Marlins manager
(1.58) was effective through most of his winless spell, giving up more than two runs only once. That included a seven-inning outing May 11 against the Marlins in Los Angeles, when he held them to one run and seven hits.
Without Stanton, the challenge of solving the crafty right-hander was elevated substantially.
The only extra-base hit Miami managed off Greinke this time was Bour’s two-out double along the right-field line in the seventh.
That brought up Ichiro Suzuki, raising hopes of a substantial gathering of his countrymen for Japanese Heritage Day. A cheer went up when Ichiro made solid contact, but it was a routine fly to left that ended the inning and brought the flagwaving to an abrupt halt.
The only time the Marlins got two runners on was in the fourth when Christian Yelich walked and Marcell Ozuna singled, but Derek Dietrich grounded out to end the inning.
The inevitable result was assured when the Dodgers added a run in the seventh off reliever Mike Dunn. Kendrick coaxed a two-out walk in an eight-pitch at-bat, and Adrian Gonzalez drove him home with an opposite-field double to left.
Yelich stirred some hope when he led off the ninth with a double off Kenley Jansen, but the Dodgers’ closer retired the next three Marlins, two of them on strikeouts, for his 11th save.
“This ball club is capable of playing with these teams and beating good pitchers, but we have to execute better,” Jennings said.