The Miami Marlins edged out a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers this Sunday afternoon. The recent loss snapped the Dodgers three-game winning streak. The returning World Series champs will remain in Los Angeles to take on the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Pitching Battle
The Marlins faced relief pitcher Jimmy Nelson for the first 1 ⅔ innings of Sunday’s matchup. Nelson allowed just one hit and no runs in his limited outing. To conserve the energy of their starting pitchers, the Dodgers opted to utilize their bullpen. The Dodgers continued to introduce relief pitchers like Edwin Uceta, Dennis Santana and Alex Vesia.
The Marlins elected to start pitcher Pablo Lopez, who pitched a total of five innings. Lopez gave up two runs and seven total hits in his outing. Lopez’ two runs given up came from Mookie Betts and Austin Barnes. Relief pitcher Richard Bleier followed Lopez, allowing no runs and just one hit in his only inning. Closer Yimi Garcia was credited with the save, pitching a final shutout inning.
Production At The Plate
The Dodgers welcomed hits from every infielder besides third baseman Justin Turner, who went 0-for-4 on Sunday. Left-fielder Matt Beatty continued to build on his strong .327 batting average by going 3-for-4 on Sunday. Whilst battling some early-season struggles, outfielder Mookie Betts struck two hits, including a two-out RBI double.
In his first game back from the Injured List, shortstop Jazz Chisholm tallied two hits. The Marlins put together an overall impressive day at the plate, with Garrett Cooper and Brian Anderson both striking doubles. However, the game was won with just one swing. Right-fielder Adam Duvall’s three-run home run proved to be the last bit of offensive effort required to pull through.
Post-game Notes
The Marlins will travel to Philadelphia to take on the Phillies on Tuesday, May 18th. While the Marlins pitcher remains undetermined, the Phillies will start Zack Wheeler. Wheeler has performed well up to this point, with a 3-2 record and 2.85 ERA.