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Another.One.Run.Loss.
Volstad shines, but Marlins drop 10th straight
Righty holds Rays to one run in seven frames; Florida held to four hits
By Joe Frisaro
ST. PETERSBURG -- New manager, same agonizing result.
Father's Day started with some stunning news for the Marlins as Edwin Rodriguez resigned as manager.
Sunday afternoon ended in familiar frustrating fashion, as James Shields tossed a complete-game four-hitter and the Rays edged the Marlins, 2-1, in front of 26,761 at Tropicana Field.
About two hours before the game started, the Marlins announced Rodriguez had resigned and bench coach Brandon Hyde was named as interim manager. Before Shields' first pitch, the organization was already discussing potential managerial candidates.
"It's been a challenging few weeks," Hyde said. "I thought our guys handled it well. It might have been a little quieter than usual, a little awkward sometimes. We lost a 2-1 game that we had chances to win, and our starter gave us chances to win."
After the well-played game, the Marlins had their losing streak extend to 10 straight, which is one shy of the franchise record, set twice in 1998. In June, Florida is a head-shaking 1-18, and the club has lost 21 of 24 since holding a 29-19 record on May 26.
"We're getting paid to do a job, and the job we've been doing the last couple of weeks hasn't been good enough," Hyde said. "We have to get better in all areas. The players recognize it. Our starting pitchers have to go deeper into games and staying in the game. And we have to do a better job swinging the bat.
"We were winning games the first couple of months because we had very good pitching, and we were scoring enough to win. Guys were struggling offensively at that point also. But we were getting a big hit here and there. Now it seems like we're getting a little bit frustrated at the plate sometimes, and that big hit is not coming."
Florida right-hander Chris Volstad had one of his top outings of the year, giving up one run on six hits. His seven innings matched a season high now done three times.
Shields (7-4) stepped up with his fifth complete game in 15 starts. It marked the second time the right-hander went the distance against the Marlins, also doing so on May 22 at Miami, when he tossed a three-hitter and struck out 13.
"Shields, obviously, threw an outstanding game," Volstad said. "Tip your hat to him. I was just trying to go out there, battle for the team and give them a good outing.
"We're not a team that has ever given up or felt down about ourselves. [We have] the same attitude that we're going to play hard and try to win a game."
When you're in a rut, breaks and bounces go against you.
It again proved true when the Rays grabbed the lead in the eighth inning.
Matt Joyce singled off Florida reliever Ryan Webb to open the inning. The next ball could have been a turning point because Evan Longoria tapped a bouncer to the mound. The hopper was primed to be a double play, but Webb bobbled the ball. He recovered and threw Longoria out at first. However, Joyce advanced to second with one out.
Lefty specialist Randy Choate took over to face left-handed-hitting Casey Kotchman.
Choate executed a well-placed inside pitch, and Kotchman took a full swing, and dribbled a jam shot that was perfectly placed down the third-base line.
Joyce scored easily and Kotchman took second on the throw to the plate.
"When it rains, it pours," Choate said. "You can use every cliché in the book.
"I felt I had [Kotchman] beat. They get paid to hit, like I get paid to pitch. Somehow he kept it inside the line. I'm not even quite sure how, because if I put it any more inside it would have hit him. It's just the way it goes, and it gets frustrating, because every day it seems like something new."
Left-handed batters were 3-for-35 off Choate before Kotchman's game-deciding single.
News of the managerial change created a somber tone throughout the day for the Marlins.
Given new direction, Florida stuck with basically the same lineup used in Saturday's 7-4 loss.
Dewayne Wise led off, followed by Emilio Bonifacio.
The speedy combination set up a first-inning run. Wise dribbled a cue-shot spinner that third baseman Longoria misplayed for an error. Bonifacio doubled to deep right field, putting runners on second and third. With one out, Gaby Sanchez lifted a sacrifice fly to left field.
The unearned run was all the Marlins could manage on the day.
"[The mangerial change] didn't affect us in this clubhouse," Shields said. "I don't know how it was over there. It's always a sad day when you see a manger resign, but our job is win ballgames on this side of the fence, and that's what we did today."
Volstad, who hasn't won since April 26, did a good job matching Shields.
The 6-foot-8 right-hander threw a season-high 114 pitches, one more than he tossed in each of his last two outings.
The Rays pulled even with a run in the third. Sam Fuld singled and scored on Ben Zobrist's sacrifice fly.
Shields received some big defensive plays from Fuld in left field to get out of the eighth inning. Omar Infante ripped a hard line drive that was snared by Fuld, who made an all-out dive at the warning track. And with one on and two outs, Fuld took a single away from Wise with a sliding play in short left field.
"We all have to do a better job of taking the next step," Hyde said. "There is too much talent in that clubhouse to play the way we've been playing. We've just got to get better. That's the bottom line."
Righty holds Rays to one run in seven frames; Florida held to four hits
By Joe Frisaro
ST. PETERSBURG -- New manager, same agonizing result.
Father's Day started with some stunning news for the Marlins as Edwin Rodriguez resigned as manager.
Sunday afternoon ended in familiar frustrating fashion, as James Shields tossed a complete-game four-hitter and the Rays edged the Marlins, 2-1, in front of 26,761 at Tropicana Field.
About two hours before the game started, the Marlins announced Rodriguez had resigned and bench coach Brandon Hyde was named as interim manager. Before Shields' first pitch, the organization was already discussing potential managerial candidates.
"It's been a challenging few weeks," Hyde said. "I thought our guys handled it well. It might have been a little quieter than usual, a little awkward sometimes. We lost a 2-1 game that we had chances to win, and our starter gave us chances to win."
After the well-played game, the Marlins had their losing streak extend to 10 straight, which is one shy of the franchise record, set twice in 1998. In June, Florida is a head-shaking 1-18, and the club has lost 21 of 24 since holding a 29-19 record on May 26.
"We're getting paid to do a job, and the job we've been doing the last couple of weeks hasn't been good enough," Hyde said. "We have to get better in all areas. The players recognize it. Our starting pitchers have to go deeper into games and staying in the game. And we have to do a better job swinging the bat.
"We were winning games the first couple of months because we had very good pitching, and we were scoring enough to win. Guys were struggling offensively at that point also. But we were getting a big hit here and there. Now it seems like we're getting a little bit frustrated at the plate sometimes, and that big hit is not coming."
Florida right-hander Chris Volstad had one of his top outings of the year, giving up one run on six hits. His seven innings matched a season high now done three times.
Shields (7-4) stepped up with his fifth complete game in 15 starts. It marked the second time the right-hander went the distance against the Marlins, also doing so on May 22 at Miami, when he tossed a three-hitter and struck out 13.
"Shields, obviously, threw an outstanding game," Volstad said. "Tip your hat to him. I was just trying to go out there, battle for the team and give them a good outing.
"We're not a team that has ever given up or felt down about ourselves. [We have] the same attitude that we're going to play hard and try to win a game."
When you're in a rut, breaks and bounces go against you.
It again proved true when the Rays grabbed the lead in the eighth inning.
Matt Joyce singled off Florida reliever Ryan Webb to open the inning. The next ball could have been a turning point because Evan Longoria tapped a bouncer to the mound. The hopper was primed to be a double play, but Webb bobbled the ball. He recovered and threw Longoria out at first. However, Joyce advanced to second with one out.
Lefty specialist Randy Choate took over to face left-handed-hitting Casey Kotchman.
Choate executed a well-placed inside pitch, and Kotchman took a full swing, and dribbled a jam shot that was perfectly placed down the third-base line.
Joyce scored easily and Kotchman took second on the throw to the plate.
"When it rains, it pours," Choate said. "You can use every cliché in the book.
"I felt I had [Kotchman] beat. They get paid to hit, like I get paid to pitch. Somehow he kept it inside the line. I'm not even quite sure how, because if I put it any more inside it would have hit him. It's just the way it goes, and it gets frustrating, because every day it seems like something new."
Left-handed batters were 3-for-35 off Choate before Kotchman's game-deciding single.
News of the managerial change created a somber tone throughout the day for the Marlins.
Given new direction, Florida stuck with basically the same lineup used in Saturday's 7-4 loss.
Dewayne Wise led off, followed by Emilio Bonifacio.
The speedy combination set up a first-inning run. Wise dribbled a cue-shot spinner that third baseman Longoria misplayed for an error. Bonifacio doubled to deep right field, putting runners on second and third. With one out, Gaby Sanchez lifted a sacrifice fly to left field.
The unearned run was all the Marlins could manage on the day.
"[The mangerial change] didn't affect us in this clubhouse," Shields said. "I don't know how it was over there. It's always a sad day when you see a manger resign, but our job is win ballgames on this side of the fence, and that's what we did today."
Volstad, who hasn't won since April 26, did a good job matching Shields.
The 6-foot-8 right-hander threw a season-high 114 pitches, one more than he tossed in each of his last two outings.
The Rays pulled even with a run in the third. Sam Fuld singled and scored on Ben Zobrist's sacrifice fly.
Shields received some big defensive plays from Fuld in left field to get out of the eighth inning. Omar Infante ripped a hard line drive that was snared by Fuld, who made an all-out dive at the warning track. And with one on and two outs, Fuld took a single away from Wise with a sliding play in short left field.
"We all have to do a better job of taking the next step," Hyde said. "There is too much talent in that clubhouse to play the way we've been playing. We've just got to get better. That's the bottom line."
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