Miami Marlins Blank Padres: Caleb Smith Solid, Brian Anderson Impressive

Brian Anderson collected three hits for the third time this season, and Caleb Smith worked a combined shutout of the Padres on Friday night.

Brian Anderson finished with three hits. It was the 21st time this campaign that he has finished with multiple hits. Cameron Maybin also notched a pair for the Miami Marlins.

Pitching

Along with Caleb Smith, Brad Ziegler, Drew Steckenrider, and Kyle Barraclough teamed up to keep the Padres off the board. It was Miami’s fifth shutout of the season, and San Diego’s sixth time getting blanked.

Smith pitched in with his first career hit, an RBI-single to right field.

Smith started his 13th game for the Marlins, and completed 5 1/3 scoreless innings. He gave up four hits and two walks, striking out five. He got 56-of-92 pitches into the strike zone, but left the bases loaded with one out for deposed closer Ziegler. Smith finished with a respectable GameScore of 65, which is somehow only his sixth best game by the metric.

It only took Ziggy one pitch to shut it down.

Ziegler stayed on for another inning, collecting a pair of strikeouts in the seventh inning. The outing lowered his ERA by over a half run, from 7.44 to 6.83. Steckenrider allowed a hit in the eighth, but also struck out two batters. Barraclough struck out one in a perfect inning of work. He’s really having a staggeringly good season, with 28 strikeouts and only nine hits allowed in 27 1/3 innings. Opponents are batting .099 against him.

Offense

The first-round selection of the Miami Marlins was in the house for the game, and spoke with the broadcast team at length. 13th overall selection Connor Scott also got a chance to sit down with “The Captain.”

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The game was also notable in that the Miami Marlins for one weekend only dressed as the Florida Marlins.

Lewis Brinson got the Miami Marlins on the board in the fourth inning with a very long sacrifice fly. Despite his struggles, Brinson has lately been able to put up productive at-bats. He struck out twice in the game, but also drew a walk. The RBI was his 22nd of the season. Smith followed with his single.

In the fifth inning, Justin Bour and Maybin connected on back-to-back one out singles, followed by a Miguel Rojas strikeout. Brinson drew his walk to load the bases, then Yadiel Rivera drew a base-on-balls to force Bour home. It was Rivera’s third walk of the game, and he’s now exceeding Bour’s walk rate for the season (h/t to Fish Stripes).

With the game score at 3-0 in the sixth inning, J.T. Realmuto came to the plate with nobody out and runners on the corners. He hit a probable double play ball, but legged it out and ended up with the RBI. Starlin Castro scored on the play, and Realmuto ended up safely on first base. The run set what would be the final score, 4-0.

Tomorrow

The win improves the Miami Marlins record to 23-40. Well on their way to a 122-40 season, the Marlins will take on the Padres again tomorrow at 3:10. Dan Straily (2-2, 3.50) will take on 2014 all-star Tyson Ross (5-3, 3.31).

Next: 2018 Miami Marlins Draft Breakdown

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