Postgame: Marlins Split the Double Header and Take the Series from the Rockies

[MiamiHomer]

Discuss.

[Fish and Chips]

sweeping a doubleheader is tough to do
only 2 gb from the wild card.

last game was a disappointment, but all in all it was a great series for the fish

[MiamiHomer]

Game 1 recap

MIAMI -- It's mid-August, and the Marlins find themselves in the thick of a heated National League Wild Card race.

In Game 1 of a doubleheader on Sunday, they inched closer in that department thanks to their biggest strength of late -- a high-powered offense.

The Marlins notched a franchise record 12th consecutive game with double-digit hits to back starter Chris Volstad in a 10-3 win at Land Shark Stadium.

Florida has now won eight of its last nine games and is a single game behind of Colorado for the NL Wild Card lead. With the Giants' 3-2 loss to the Mets, the Marlins are also tied with San Francisco for second place.

The Marlins tied it at 1 on a homer by Hanley Ramirez in the first -- his 18th on the year -- then got all the separation they needed off Aaron Cook with a five-run second. That frame even saw Volstad -- who came in with just one RBI in his previous 67 at-bats -- hit a bases-loaded, broken-bat two-run single. After that, Chris Coghlan followed up with a three-run homer to left-center field to give the Marlins a 6-1 lead they wouldn't relinquish.

Marlins drop Rockies, close Wild Card gap
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I wish we could have done to them what they did to us when we had that double header in Colorado a year ago.
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Game 2 Recap

MIAMI -- The Marlins' offense is as hot as anybody's in baseball, but the Rockies' pitching staff finally held it in check in Game 2 of Sunday's doubleheader.

After Florida notched 17 hits and scored 10 runs in a Game 1 win, Jorge De La Rosa gave up just one run through 5 2/3 innings, and his bullpen mates held on en route to handing the Marlins a 7-3 loss in front of 20,089 at Land Shark Stadium.

The loss denied the Marlins a tie for first in the National League Wild Card race, instead putting them two games back of Colorado again and in third place -- a half-game behind the Giants. But Florida did manage to extend its franchise record of consecutive games with double-digit hits to 13.

Marlins starter Rick VandenHurk gave up four runs in the first three innings to put his team in an early hole and ended up surrendering three home runs. The first was an absolute moon shot off the bat of Clint Barmes, a two-run homer in the second that gave the Rockies a 3-0 lead. Carlos Gonzalez added his second solo homer of the doubleheader in the third, and, in a 4-1 game in the sixth, Brad Hawpe put the Marlins in a deep hole with a two-run homer of his own.

The Marlins' offense showed some life with five hits in the seventh, as Jorge Cantu and Cody Ross smacked RBI singles to make it a 6-3 game. But with two outs and the bases loaded, Ronny Paulino flied out to end the threat.

Ross finished the doubleheader split with six hits, which is the most in franchise history during a twin bill.

Rockies keep Marlins at bay in nightcap

[Bobbob1313]

I like taking 5/7.

I also like going into Houston next. This is setting up well for us.

[Swifty]

With a Volstad/RVH twin billing, going in, I absolutely would have loved to say, yeah, we'll split.

Good day, good series, great home-stand. I approve.

[Omar]

On paper, the homestand was great. Keep the offense chugging along, gained ground on the WC and the division pending tonight's result, won both series. But I wouldn't fault anyone for being disappointed with failing to sweep the doubleheader. Yeah, getting 13 hits was impressive and we were in the game a long time considering RVH's poor performance (on paper, didn't see the first few innings), but the offense stranded 14 runners. Of those 14, 5 of them were in the last two innings when the game was very much in hand with just one extra base hit.

Tough one to lose, but an off day and a Nolasco start will hopefully allow us to bounce back nicely.

[Party]

How dare they lose!

[Swifty]

Well, and go ahead and hate me for saying it, so long as Hanley struggles with the challenge pitch, we're going to leave runners on.

Yes, I know his RISP numbers, and this isn't me hating him, it's just me saying that he has a huge hole in his game and I'm surprised it isn't exploited more. Scouts have to see he can't hit, and will chase, the high ones.

That's my mini-rant. Other than that, yeah, I'm still cool with the split.

[Sashimi]

The HRs given up were crazy, but the K:BB was pretty cool, particularly before he ran out of gas in the 6th (9:1), and overall hits allowed weren't bad either. Hard to figure out.

[m26555]

Obviously wanted the sweep, but I'm not gonna complain with two out of three. Good series.

[Omar]

2.0 back of the Wild Card
4.0 back of the division

17-11 since the All Star Break
9-6 in the Nick Johnson Era

[Chewford]

Great homestand to follow up a pwn fest road sweep of the Phillies. Let's keep this shit up going into that terrible, terrible Houston city place.

[McLevin]

Well, and go ahead and hate me for saying it, so long as Hanley struggles with the challenge pitch, we're going to leave runners on.

Yes, I know his RISP numbers, and this isn't me hating him, it's just me saying that he has a huge hole in his game and I'm surprised it isn't exploited more. Scouts have to see he can't hit, and will chase, the high ones.

That's my mini-rant. Other than that, yeah, I'm still cool with the split.

Oh no, Hanley is human

[PitchingWinsGames]

Hanley used to have a huge hole in his game on the low and away fastball, he's adjusted... now he has another hole... I'm confident he'll adjust again and continue that cycle. It's pretty much a matter of when, at this point.

[The Hanram]

Hanley used to have a huge hole in his game on the low and away fastball, he's adjusted... now he has another hole... I'm confident he'll adjust again and continue that cycle. It's pretty much a matter of when, at this point.

Bingo.

Although that strikeout sucked there, the called third strikeout was more of a problem, especially since he didn't go.

But its a moot point and I am very happy with the split, especially after all the homers.