Aug 5, 2015; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Jose Fernandez in the dugout in a game against the New York Mets at Marlins Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports
I admit it – I was highly pessimistic going into this series against the Marlins. I thought Miami would be motivated, that the Braves would be flat after being shut down by the Giants, and that the Miami pitching would continue that trend.
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Instead, we have had two ‘pizza days’ in a row with two victories – including the unlikely scenario of beating up Marlins ace Jose Fernandez for 2 runs and getting him to the sidelines after the fifth inning.
Julio Teheran actually bettered his rival through six innings, giving up 3 of his six hits allowed, and eventually 3 earned runs to yield the lead. Before that, he was brilliant – with more change-ups catching them off balance for most of the evening.
But it was a matter of which bullpen could hold the other at bay from there, and it didn’t take very long to find out which one would prevail… though some help was definitely involved.
After the Stretch…
In the bottom of the 7th, down 3-2, the Braves faced Kendry Flores. After a groundout, Todd Cunningham singled, advancing on SS Adeiny Hechavarria’s throwing error. Perdro Ciriaco then reached on another E6 and Jace Peterson walked to load the bases.
Then Daniel Castro hit a nubber toward third base. There was one option and thus the throw went home, where catcher Jeff Mathis was fiddling with bat removal. That action seemed to mess up Mathis’ preparation to receive the ball, and oddly, he neither tagged Cunningham nor tagged home plate.
Todd Cunningham arrives at home plate in the 7th inning. Screen capture from mlb.com video: http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/vtp_review/v343466283/mia-atl-cunningham-safe-at-home-after-review
In real time, it was actually difficult to see a problem with the play, and in fact, Cunningham merely assumed that he was out and trotted to the dugout. However, home plate umpire David Rackley should have been able to see both (a) that Mathis blocked Cunningham from having a ‘clear path’ to the plate, and (b) that Mathis neither tagged him nor home plate. He missed everything.
Fortunately, the replay review official didn’t. Tie game.
The next play was also fun: Nick Markakis singled, scoring both Ciriaco and Peterson. The throw home was cut off and redirected to third base, where Daniel Castro was arriving. Martin Prado applied the tag… late… and umpire Bob Davidson nonetheless calls him out.
Another challenge. Another call overturned… important because Castro scored on the next play via a groundout.
So with all that added up, the score was Braves 6, Marlins 2, Hechavarria:Â 2 errors, Umpires: 2 errors, Mathis: 1 mental error.
Wow.
The rest of the game was agreeably anti-climatic. Matt Marksberry got 2 outs in the 8th; Aardsma the third; Vizcaino got his second save. Braves win.
This game was a microcosm of these team’s respective seasons: the Braves have been scrappy, taking advantage of every break offered. The Marlins? When it rains, it pours… maybe we should have guessed so when they had a rain delay inside their own domed stadium back in April.
Here’s the Box:
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