Season-high 11 runs propels Miami

Paced by Trevor Richards’ seven sharp innings, the Marlins pummeled the Giants with a season-high run total on Tuesday in a 11-3 series-opening win.

On the very first pitch of the ballgame, Joe Panik smacked a home run to right field to get the visitors off to a flying start. An inauspicious start for sure, but Richards settled down quickly from there, retiring 21 of the next 23 batters faced.

Veteran Jeff Samardzija wasn’t nearly as effective. In four innings of work, he coughed up five runs on eight hits, throwing 89 pitches.

The Marlins offense rolled against San Francisco pitching, including a pair of three-run homers from Garrett Cooper and Jorge Alfaro against Derek Holland and Nick Vincent, respectively. Alfaro leads the club this season with eight round-trippers in 2019, closing in rapidly on his career high of 10.

Ahead 10-1 in the eighth, Rosell Herrera—perhaps the most improbable power source on the roster—crushed his first long ball of the season. It was a no-doubter, as the ball bounced off the second deck in right field.

San Francisco salvaged something in the ninth when they attacked Marlins reliever Elieser Hernandez for two runs. He was recently called up from Triple-A New Orleans and making his first appearance for the Fish this season.

Five Marlin batters finished with two or more hits, including Harold Ramírez’s 3-for-4 night—.413 batting average overall since his debut—and Starlin Castro’s 2-for-5 night.

The Marlins, now riding a two-game winning, will look for the series win Wednesday night. Pablo López hopes for a better outing Wednesday night after just 3 ²⁄₃ innings this past Friday against the Nationals. López was tagged for four runs on seven hits. Veteran lefty Madison Bumgarner will take the ball for Bruce Bochy’s club. Also, Fish Stripes has learned that CEO Derek Jeter is expected to address to media prior to the game—we’ll have Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) on the scene to provide coverage.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.

Giants vs. Marlins box score (Baseball Theater)

Fish Picks answer key

1. Richards
2. Over
3. Under
4. No
5. Marlins