MIA 1, TOR 3: Same ‘Ole Sad Tune In Series Sweep

“The Miami Marlins sure can pitch.”

A sentence uttered all too often, and for good reason. The team currently sports a 3.37 ERA through its first 73 games, good enough for 5th in the National League. Three of the team’s starters - Sandy Alcantara, Trevor Rogers, and Pablo López - all have ERA’s below 3, checking in at 2.93, 2.08, and 2.86, respectively.

Unfortunately for Rogers and the Marlins, Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to the Blue Jays was just another example of the team’s season in a microcosm; another night of quality pitching wasted by the bat's inability to produce.

With the loss, the Fish now fall to 31-42, extending their season-worst mark to 11 games under .500.

While not his usual self on the mound, Rogers still turned in 5 innings, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits, striking 6, respectively. His 5th inning strikeout of Toronto left fielder Teoscar Hernández made Rogers just the fifth Marlins starter and the first rookie to strike out at least 100 hitters in his first 15 starts of the season. Per Bally Sports Media’s Twitter account, Rogers joins José Fernández, Caleb Smith, Aníbal Sánchez, and A.J. Burnett among Marlin pitchers to accomplish said feat.

“Start in, start out, he’s (Rogers) been solid,” said manager Don Mattingly.

Toronto got on the board early, plating 2 runs in the first thanks to an RBI double off the bat of Bo Bichette, followed by a run-scoring single by Hernández.

Following the rough first inning,

The lone Miami run, a Starling Marté solo home run in the 6th, would be the only bit of damage against Robbie Ray, who went 6 innings and punched out 6 en-route to his 5th win of the season. Despite leading the AL in home runs allowed with 18, Ray has quietly been a stabilizing force in the Toronto rotation of late, posting a 2.51 ERA in the month of June over 28.2 innings pitched.

The team would threaten in the bottom of the 9th when right fielder Adam Duvall doubled - his first hit in 14 plate appearances - only to be stranded at third with Jorge Alfaro striking out to end the game.

After scoring 21 runs in 2 days against the Cubs last weekend, Miami has now reverted to plate just 2 runs over their past 3 games.

In the short two-game series against Toronto, the Marlins managed to hit just 8-63 (.127) with 20 K’s.

The bats will look to wake up tomorrow when the team begins the first of a four-game series against the Washington Nationals on Thursday. Cody Poteet will make his second start since returning from the IL against Joe Ross, with first pitch slated for 7:10 Eastern.

Fish Picks Answer Key

1. Ray
2. Under
3. Yes
4. No
5. Blue Jays