Marlins out-play the Phillies, 8-4

Welcome back everyone, it is time to enjoy another exciting Marlins victory. The Fish improved to 10-18 on the season, while the Phillies dropped to 16-12 (now third place in the NL East).

Dan Straily was rusty in his 2018 MLB debut, no doubt about it. I would lie if I said this should not be expected. The first start of the season is always a tough one, especially when it is at the end of April. He went four innings giving up six hits, four earned runs, four walks, and two home runs, while striking out one batter (To his credit, it was a nasty breaking ball that got Aaron Altherr to chase).

Luckily for the Fish, Jake Arrieta would have a worse game than Straily. He would pitch 3 ²⁄₃ innings, giving up eight hits, six earned runs and two walks. This was easily his roughest start of the season.

The bats came alive for Miami tonight. Everyone in the starting line up besides Straily recorded at least one hit. Starlin Castro and Brian Anderson each got three hits, while J.T. Realmuto got two. Anderson would also knock in four runs, including his second home run of the season.

The game started on a sour note in the second inning, as Jorge Alfaro blasted a two-run home run into the sculpture in center field. He jumped on the first pitch from Straily, which had a lot of plate. The Marlins would strike right back in the bottom of the second. Cameron Maybin started it off with a single. This was followed by another single, this time by Miguel Rojas. Lewis Brinson would then ground out to the shortstop, scoring Maybin in the process.

The third inning is when the action really started to happen. Martín Prado led off with a single, followed by a walk to Castro. Next, Derek Dietrich and Brian Anderson each belted out a double to score another couple of runs. Miguel Rojas would then ground out sharply to bring Anderson home. The Marlins would end up scoring four runs in that inning, making it 5-2 Miami.

The Phils would respond immediately. After a double from Scott Kingery, Maikel Franco hit a two-run home run. This trimmed the Marlins lead down to one. Rhys Hoskins came up later that inning with two outs and two men on. Dan Straily would end his night on the right note, getting Hoskins to pop out.

There were more doubles to come for Miami, as Realmuto and Castro each hit their own in the bottom of the fourth. The score was now 6-4 and the Fish never looked back. They would tack on two more runs, by way of an Anderson home run.

The defense also shined throughout the night. Kyle Barraclough ran into some trouble in the seventh, loading the bases with only one out. Carlos Santana came to the plate and hit a soft fly ball towards right-center field. Anderson—still very inexperienced as an outfielder—had a great reaction and covered ground quickly, making a fantastic diving catch. The Philly runners were not tagging up so they were forced to head back to the bases, stopping any potential run from scoring. The next batter would tap a ball in front of home plate ending the inning.

Miguel Rojas also made a difficult play. He tracked a soft fly ball hit towards the outfield and made an awesome over-the-shoulder catch.

**Side note No. 1: Tayron Guererro also threw the fastest pitch of the season.**

**Side note No. 2: Craig Minervini was pretty good for his first time in the FOX Sports Florida booth this season. While there are some things that could use work, his energy was fantastic and the fact that he sounds nothing like Todd Hollandsworth is a big plus.**

The Marlins are now 5-1 in their last six games. They look to continue rolling when Jarlin García takes on Zack Eflin. First pitch at 7:10 pm.

Swordfish: Starlin Castro (.207 WPA), but come on, we know it should be Brian Anderson (.189)

Flounder: Jake Arrieta (-.486)

Play of the game: Anderson’s fantastic diving catch

Attendance: 5,415

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Please leave any Icthy picks in the comments below (explainer).

Matchup Summary

After winning the last two series, the Marlins look to keep the good times rolling. The Phillies are coming to town and the Marlins are looking for some payback.

Dan Straily will be making his first start of the season. He had been on the disabled list with a right forearm strain. The veteran right-hander will be looking to make an impression, especially after the average season he had last year.

Jake Arrieta will toe the rubber for the Phils. He has been very successful this season, and a big reason why the Phils are currently tied for second place in the NL East. His teammates have been hot at the plate, while Miami’s not as much.

The Marlins bullpen will play a big part in this game. They have been great as of late. Hopefully we get to see some Tayron Guerrero heat tonight.

Thread Question

Who will have the better season: Wei-Yin Chen or Dan Straily?