Miami Marlins Spring Training: Die By the Long Ball

The Miami Marlins dropped their fifth Spring Training decision in a row, this time by way of a walk-off homer to the Atlanta Braves.

After nine Spring Training games, the Miami Marlins are standing with a 2-7 record, and have lost five in a row. The win-loss record matters little, but tell it to relief pitcher Brian Moran.

The Miami Marlins had recently tied the score in the top of the inning, with a pair of runs on a two-RBI single by Deven Marrero. With the Miami Marlins essentially playing for a tie, Moran had to simply get three outs without allowing Atlanta to score. It started out well. Moran got Tyler Neslony to whiff for the first out of the inning. Then, Andres Blanco hit his first round-tripper of the spring to walk off the Marlins.

What did we learn from the Miami Marlins loss to the Braves today? Here’s four.

Starting Pitching Unable to Finish Three Innings

Wei-Yin Chen: 1.1 IP, 5 ER
Sandy Alcantara: 2.0 IP, 2 ER
Trevor Richards: 3.0 IP, 1 ER
José Ureña: 2.1 IP, 2 ER
Dan Straily: 2.1 IP, 3 ER

Total SP Line, Five Game Losing Streak: 11.0 IP, 13 ER

Only Trevor Richards had what one would call a “decent” outing in his start over the five-game streak. Today’s starter, Straily, was no different than the other three. He gave up four hits for three earned runs over only 2 1/3 innings. He struck out two, but also surrendered two home runs.

The Braves connected for five round-trippers before all was said and done on Sunday afternoon. Adam Duvall actually mashed a pair of long-balls.

Conley and Eveld Were Perfect, and Alvarez Was Close

Relief pitchers Adam Conley and Tommy Eveld each pitched flawless innings. Conley pitched a perfect fifth with one strikeout, and Eveld turned in a perfect seventh, with a pair of whiffs.

R.J. Alvarez was pretty close, pitching a hitless eighth with a strikeout, allowing only a walk to former Miami Marlins outfielder Rafael Ortega.

 Herrera is Determined to Get on Base

Rosell Herrera, who you’ll remember we got from the Kansas City Royals on waivers early this year, was 1-for-12 with a walk coming into today’s contest. In three plate appearances for him today, he came away with a walk and a single, raising his OPS to a robust .575.

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The Bottom of the Miami Marlins Order Was (Relatively) Deadly

The Miami Marlins collected 10 hits in this game, their second best showing so far this spring. Of note were the four guys making up numbers eight and nine in the order.

Rodrigo Vigil, Santiago Chavez, Isaac Galloway, and Harold Ramirez went a collected four-for-seven in this game, and each of them came around to score. Peter O’Brien scored the other run for the Marlins.

The Miami Marlins gave up six runs in total today, all of them off of the Braves’ five home runs. The home crowd at Champion Stadium, announced at 6,287, seemed pretty happy about it. Will the Marlins give the folks at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium something to cheer about tomorrow? Wei-Yin Chen gets the ball tomorrow against the Washington Nationals at 1:05 P.M. EST.