Spring Training 2014: Saltalamacchia, Marlins power past Twins 3-1

The Miami Marlins had issues all day defensively versus the Minnesota Twins in their sixth Spring Training game of the season, but the Fish were able to prevail over the Twins 3-1 in today's latest game over at Roger Dean Stadium. The Twins pulled ahead early with a 1-0 lead on starter Tom Koehler and the Fish after Koehler gave up two singles and a walk to load the bases with no one out early in the second inning. Eduardo Escobar scored the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly, but Koehler worked out of the jam struck out the next batter he faced and found one more out to escape a bad situation. The Marlins tied it at the bottom of the inning with an Ed Lucas single to score Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who proved to be the hero of the day for the Fish.

Saltalamacchia gave the Marlins a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning with his first home run of the Spring Training season and his first shot in a Marlins uniform. That proved to be the game winner, as the Fish did not need any further offensive assistance. They did add a sixth-inning run thanks to a Derek Dietrich single that scored Giancarlo Stanton.

Saltalamacchia finished the day with just the lone hit and walk in two appearances at the plate. He was replaced by catching prospect J.T. Realmuto, who himself had a decent outing with a walk and his first stolen base of the Spring Training season.

One disappointing aspect about the otherwise successful outing today was the team' sloppy play on the infield. The Marlins committed five errors on the day, starting in the first inning with a Saltalamacchia throwing error on a pickoff attempt that could have earned the team a double play. Errors by Adeiny Hechavarria and Brian Bogusevic on throws also did not help the prospects of a positive defensive impact for Miami in 2014.

The Fish will play the New York Mets tomorrow at Roger Dean Stadium in the second of their meetings in Spring Training this year.