Marlins Lose, Bizzare Play Costly (Video)
Sep 10, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez (27) steals second base as Miami Marlins second baseman Donovan Solano (17) applies the tag during the seventh inning at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
For the last couple of weeks, the Marlins have been able to cut down drastically on the errors. As a matter of fact, it seemed like the teams that Miami faced during that time had taken a mistake filled mantle upon themselves. From the New York Mets committing 23 errors in a game (ok it was 6 but it felt like that many), to the Brewers giving up back-to-back home runs in back-to-back games, issuing too many walks, and just generally giving games away, the Fish were due to make some of those mistakes that Marlins fans had become frustrated with.
In the bottom of the 3rd inning, the wheels began to fall off for the Fish and they gave up a run that I can honestly say had a play that I have never seen before. Jarred Cosart was on the hill for Miami and induced a routine ground ball from Jean Segura to shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria. Hech fielded the ball cleanly and air-mailed a throw into the Marlins dugout.
Error’s happen, and that in itself is not that surprising, however when Segura came around first base and saw the throw sailing over Garrett Jones‘ head, he stutter-stepped awkwardly around first base and appeared to miss the bag on his way to second. again, not particularly unusual. What happened next would leave many scratching their heads asking “how did that just happen”?
Click here to view the video on mlb.com
I don’t want to pin all the blame on Cosart, even though his lack of awareness and lackadaisical throw allowed Segura to take third base. If Hech makes a good throw, none of this even matters, but Cosart was obviously stunned by the development. Segura would go on to score on a sacrifice fly to give Milwaukee a 1-0 lead that they would not relinquish.
It seemed that Cosart had not forgotten that play when he went out in the 4th inning and promptly walked the lead-off batter. He would end up walking another hitter, uncharacteristic for Cosart, and that lead off run would score.
A bright spot for the Marlins was another Marcell Ozuna home run. Ozuna has been locked in of late as he has homered in all 3 games in Milwaukee during this series. He will look to go 4 for 4 in tonight’s finale.
While this loss certainly hurts the Marlins in the playoff hunt (Pirates and Braves both won), all is not lost. A 3-1 series victory will give the Marlins a 2 game net-positive on the Brewers, and move them one step closer to get back into this race.
If the Marlins are going to pull this off, then they will need to get hot though. When I say hot, I don’t mean win a handful of series 2 games to 1. I mean that they need to sweep a couple of series’ and go 8-2 or 9-1 in their next 10 games. That is the only way they will make up enough ground to be relevant during the last week of the season.