SFG 3, MIA 4; Untangled the Webb

Coming off back-to-back series wins and sitting at .500, the Marlins looked to their best pitcher so far, Jesus Luzardo. Coming off a three-earned-run victory in Philadelphia, the local lefty wound up with another three-earned-run game, this time a no-decision.

Luzardo cruised through the first inning and two-thirds, including three strikeouts and a flyout by his 9u teammate, David Villar. But after causing Joey Bart to send his bat into the netting above the Marlins dugout, he gave up back-to-back doubles to score a run and make it 1-0 in the second. His pitch count continued to climb as a single, and a walk came around to score on another two-out double, this time by the aforementioned former teammate, David Villar. 3-0 Giants in the third, and it was starting to look grim.

Logan Webb was having his way with the Marlins' offense to this point, having retired the first six in order. Jesus Sanchez smoked a double to begin the third inning and came around to score on a single by Jazz Chisholm Jr. to put the Fish on the board. They continued trying to chip away as the game progressed, but besides a single run in the sixth inning, they were unable to untangle Logan Webb. (So proud of that line. Had to use it twice.)

With Luzardo at 100 pitches and runners on first and second following a single and a walk, Skip came out to the mound to take him out of the game. He handed the ball to Andrew Nardi with the hopes that he could limit the damage. Two pitches later, Nardi rolled a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. He has stranded all 8 of the runners he has inherited so far this season. Luzardo gave him a tip of the cap postgame and called his double play, “huge; those guys in the bullpen have been nails lately.”

Luzardo’s final line: 4.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 100/65 Pitches/Strikes.

Nardi remained in the game and tossed a 1-2-3 sixth inning, even shaking off a shattered bat off his foot for the final out. He said it just grazed him, and he was alright. The rest of the bullpen continued the trend, with Matt Barnes working around trouble in the seventh and Dylan Floro laying down the hammer with a 1-2-3 eighth. Barnes would get the win, and Floro would get a hold.

Wait, I thought the Marlins were losing? Think again!

Jean Segura led off the seventh with an infield single and went to third on an opposite-field base hit by Jesus Sanchez. Nick Fortes hit into a 6-4-3 double play which Segura couldn’t score on. Then, Skip tapped Jorge Soler on the shoulder and told him it was his turn to pinch hit. Dealing with lingering back issues, which he suspects might be related to the artificial turf in loanDepot park, and having never recorded a hit off Webb in his career, Soler seemed like an odd choice. It was almost meaningless as it looked like the first base umpire called a balk on Webb to bring home the tying run, but after discussion, they ruled that there was no balk. Soler didn’t care; he sent a cement-mixer slider from Webb way out over the wall in deep center field for a go-ahead pinch-hit two-run home run.
106.1 MPH, 24 DEG, 413 FT, HR in 22 ballparks.

A lot happened at that moment, as can be seen in the video I posted to Twitter after the homer.

With a light show all to himself, A.J. Puk came on to shut the door and seal the victory for the Marlins. He worked around a leadoff single, which made it around to third, but no further, to notch his second save of the season. The Marlins won, 4-3.

Noah’s Notes and What’s Next

• Game time: 2 hours, 19 minutes.
• The Marlins are 5-0 in games decided by one run.
• Jesus Sanchez reached base in all three of his plate appearances, which Skip said is huge for the young lefty that will be crucial to the Marlins' success.
• It’s the first win for the Marlins with me in the press box. That means nothing to those of you who aren’t staff members here, but it means enough to me that I will talk about it here.
• With the Florida Panthers playing a playoff game tonight, Jesus Luzardo wore his custom Panthers jersey for the postgame media session.
• The Marlins look to win their third series in a row Tuesday against the Giants. Edward Cabrera will toe the rubber against Alex Wood.
• First Pitch: 6:40 PM
• Isaac and I will have your coverage.
• ‘Til Tmrw!