Stat Wrap 4/29: Miami Marlins Beat Brewers 6-3

If there was ever an opportunity for a let down, it was this one. Having just played fourteen straight days, including seven on the road, the team just wrapped up a historic first-ever in Los Angeles sweep of the Dodgers, only to find out that one of their best players would be suspended for the next 80 games for PED use.

Between those two factors, it’s of little wonder that Don Mattingly took advantage of the chance to rest three starters.  Regroup. Recharge. A loss seemed inevitable, even understandable.

Instead the team responded with what might have been their most dominant effort of the season.

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Marlins starting pitcher Adam Conley ran the rotation’s quality start streak to four, dominating the Brewers from the start, striking out seven in the longest start by a Miami starter this year.

And oh yeah, he didn’t allow Milwaukee a single hit.

Conley entered the 8th inning having already thrown 100 pitches. Sixteen pitches later, Mattingly made the decision that even drew boos from the Miller Park faithful.  Lifted after 7 2/3 IP, Conley could only sit back and watch as Jose Urena looked to lock down the twelfth combined no-hitter in MLB history.

Sadly, it was not to be. Urena would record the next two outs, but then gave up the history wrecking single to Jonathan Lucroy.  One out later, the wheels fell off.  The Brewers rattled off three quick hits for three quick runs, culminating in A.J. Ramos having to enter the fray.  Ramos himself would allow his first two batters to reach, before earning his seventh save by striking out Jonathan Villar with the bases loaded.

Offensively, this was the Justin Bour show.  Bour crushed a 3-run homer in Stantonesque fashion in the top of the first, followed it up with an RBI double in the third, and but a bow on it with a solo shot in the sixth.  But in many ways, the most notable three-hit night might have been Martin Prado‘s; the Marlins veteran third baseman had a 3 for 5 night that raised his average to .397, which is only the best average in the majors.

And now we Stat Wrap:

• Adam Conley: 7 2/3 IP, 7 Ks, zero hits.  
• Since last Saturday, A.J. Ramos has five saves.
• Justin Bour went 3 for 5, with 5 RBI and two HRs.
• Christian Yelich has been on base every game this season.
• Martin Prado has a hit in every game he’s started this season.
• Prado also has the highest batting average in baseball.
• Miguel Rojas went 2 for 4; Derek Dietrich went 0 for 3.
• Neither one played leadoff, that would have been Ichiro.
• Ichiro Watch: In relief of Big G in right, and Dee at the top of the order, Ich had two hits and an RBI. That’s 2,945 hits all-time.