Postgame Grades: Marlins vs. Nationals 4/9/14

Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Marlins lost a hard fought game by a score of 10-7 on Wednesday night. Even with the loss there were a few players who really stood out. Here are our grades for some of the notables.

Christian Yelich: A+

Yelich broke out in a big way tonight as he ended up on base 5 of the 6 times he came to the plate. He went 3-3 to go along with 2 walks. He scored 3 times and was an overall catalyst for the Marlins. this performance should cement his place at the top of the lineup for the time being.

Giancarlo Stanton: B-

Stanton was a solid contributor tonight, including an RBI single in the first inning. He also earned a key walk late in the game but was thrown out at home plate trying to score on a Garrett Jones double. He did struggle defensively when fielding a bouncing ball in the corner of right field. His error allowed Ryan Zimmerman to get to third base and kick started a bizarre inning that showed the Marlins lack of focus.

Brad Hand: D

Hand pitched well…until the fourth inning. Up until that point he was cruising. The 4th inning saw him give up a 3-run homer to Bryce Harper and promptly finish his night. The decision to give way to Kevin Slowey might not have been the best by manager Mike Redmond, but it did seem like Hand was finished. His final line was 3.1 IP, 4H, 3ER, 4SO, 2BB

Garrett Jones: A

What a way to break out! Jones ended up 3 for 4 with 2 RBI’s, and he would have had a third one had Stanton been able to score on his late double. Jones was everything the Marlins needed him to be. Let’s hope that Jones can continue his performance tomorrow.

Honorable Mention: 

A special shout-out to Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Derek Dietrich for hitting home runs in the game tonight. Salty’s was especially impressive considering it was a clutch shot that tied the game and really brought the Marlins back into it. It was nice to see both of them get their first home run tonight.

Carlos Marmol: F-

I chose the F- because I couldn’t come up with anything lower. I can’t understand why Redmond would use Marmol in a situation that the Marlins were in, but he did and they paid for it. Marmol ended up getting into serious trouble in the eighth inning that culminated in a Jayson Werth grand slam. His final line including 1 IP, 2 H, 1BB, and 4 ER.

Miami Marlins: C

I really struggled with this grade. The Marlins lost a heartbreaker, one that they really should have won, but it wasn’t a terrible game. A lot of players played really well, The difference really comes down to the fact that the Nationals make less mistakes than the Marlins. If Miami sends A.J. Ramos instead of Marmol out in the 8th inning, I believe this is an “A” and we are talking about the Marlins great comeback. The fact remains that the Marlins gave up a 5 run lead, only to come back and retake it when it seemed like all hope was lost, and then lose it again in crushing fashion. I suppose this type of loss is better than the one’s experienced last year when it seems like the Marlins had no heart, but it doesn’t feel better.

What did you think about the grades? Who stood out to you? Let us know in the comments below!