Fish Wrap - Marlins 6 Nats 4

I'm not real good at this recap thing, especially since 24-hours after the game seems a bit late, but it is early and I'm trying to find my swing.  But anyway, here goes.

Volstad took the mound and early on he was erratic, he couldn't control his sinker and his fast ball was spotty but he could get his new changeup over the plate.  However, by the fourth inning he turned into the Volstad we all know and love and he started to mow down hitters.  The first few innings did have a cost as his pitch count was rising and it became apparent he would only last 5 innings.  But that would be enough for the win as it turned out.

There are a few cardinal rules that all Marlins fans know when facing the Marlins hitters and one those being: You don't load the bases in front of Dan Uggla.  If you break that rule, Danny will make you pay. (in his career with bases loaded: .378 BA, 1.039 OPS)  But Daniel Cabrera broke that rule in the fifth when he plunked Cantu to load the bases.  And boy, did he pay, Danny laced a double to left to clear the bases and give the Marlins a 5-2 lead.

After taking the lead and with Volstad done in walked Andrew Miller to the mound.  Which was a good call 'cause Miller needed to pitch and by the end of spring training Andrew appeared to have adopted his new delivery well.  But yesterday wasn't Miller's day.  He promptly gave up a hit and then walked the bases loaded with one out.  Fredi made the call to K-Lero, who is quickly becoming the Winston Wolfe of the bullpen, to solve the problem.  And problem solve he did getting the Marlins out of that mess and allowing no runs to score.

Everything was going swimmingly, more or less, and the Marlins had a two run lead in the ninth and summoned the closer, Matt Lindstrom, to the mound.  Lindstrom was having a little trouble with his control and the mystery strike zone of C.B. Bucknor, once voted the worst umpire in the game by the players, wasn't helping anything.  Matt loaded the bases and with two outs Austin Kearns hit a line drive that was falling fast to left.  By this time in the game Brett Carroll was in left and watching the ball as it came off the bat I was thinking maybe Carroll could hold the Nats to just one run.  Then the unbelievable happened -- Carroll dove and made the catch to save the day.  The Open Thread went wild. (If you get a chance to see a replay of the catch, don't pass it by.  Words cannot describe it.)

So all in all, just another routine Marlins win.