Marlins can't solve Clayton Richard, fall to Padres 1-0

Last night the Miami Marlins found themselves down 6-2 only to charge back and win 7-6 on a walk-off ground-rule double by Chris Johnson.  Tonight the Marlins suffered a mere 1-0 deficit, and could not wrestle their way back.

Despite the Marlins generating all the scoring opportunities, it was the San Diego Padres who scored what would be the only run of the game when Ryan Schimpf hit his second homer of the series in the fourth.  And in the fifth, Jose Urena was on the cusp of disaster after he coughed up a single and walk with no outs, but he struck out Clayton Richard and coerced two others into a line-out and groundout.  In 5 2/3 innings Urena pitched his best performance of the season as a starter, allowing that one run on four hits while striking out six.

If only the Marlins could have figured out how to combat Richard when it mattered.  Their bats came alive, just not alive when runners were in scoring positions.  They accumulated nine hits and stranded seven runners on base.  Jeff Mathis was 2 for 3, but both Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna were 0 for 4.  Richard lasted seven innings and allowed eight hits and fanned just three, but he disoriented the Marlins when it counted and secured the win.

In lighter news, Martin Prado went 4 for 4 and is now tied with Jean Segura for the most games in the National League with 3+ hits (17).  He's also a National League-best .446 against lefties.  Even better news, the St. Louis Cardinals lost to the Oakland Athletics tonight so the Marlins did not lose any ground in their race for the postseason..

Justin Nicolino faces Luis Perdomo tomorrow at 1:10.