Source: FanGraphs
Attendance: 41,683
Hero of the Game: Jacob Turner (0.241 WPA)
Goat of the Game: Ryan Webb (-0.307 WPA)
Play of the Game: Gregor Blanco hits a ground rule double. Barry Zito scores. (-0.200 WPA)
The Miami Marlins played great defense and supported starting pitcher Jacob Turner in a major way in today's eventual 2-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants. Turner himself was not a major hit in today's game, striking out just two batters in seven innings and walking one in the process. He allowed enough line drives and fly balls to make most innings a bit scary for the Fish, and of the first five starts that he has made, this was one of the two worst ones he has had.
One of the only positives out of Turner's game was that he at least was able to continue to get hitters to swing through pitches, as he induced eight whiffs in 83 pitches. The fact that he got through seven innings in only 83 pitches was also encouraging.
Part of the reason for that was that the Fish played strong defense for most of the game behind Turner. The Marlins turned two double plays in the game, including one on an inexplicable baserunning mistake by Giants outfielder Gregor Blanco leading to an easy Marcell Ozuna outfield assist. Turner both helped and hurt his own cause by committing a throwing error in the game but also picking off a runner at first base and making a decent play at the plate with Jeff Mathis, combining to tag out a diving runner on a squeeze attempt.
Unfortunately, the Fish struggled on offense versus Barry Zito, who struck out five and walked two in seven innings and kept the Fish away from the plate. The team's sole run came off of Ed Lucas's first career big league home run, a shot to left field that cleared the fence by about a row or two. After that, the Marlins had multiple opportunities, but blew them all. The worst offenders was Justin Ruggiano, who struck out on a critical 10th-inning situation with runners on first and second. Lucas, who went 3-for-4 on the day, had his only out come directly after that.
The game winner occurred in the 11th inning, when the bases were loaded on two singles and an intentional walk with one out. Hector Sanchez delivered the game winner off of Ryan Webb.
The Marlins' loss breaks their eight-game win streak in AT&T Park. They will go for the series win tomorrow afternoon.