Turnin 2 SS 2b
08-03-2002, 10:29 AM
MIAMI -- Considering how inept the Marlins' offense had been against Milwaukee's Jamey Wright, Eric Owens unsuccessfully gambled by trying to steal third in the seventh inning.
The way Owens saw it, the reward was worth the risk.
Unfortunately for the left fielder, the end result proved disastrous. Owens was pegged by a wide margin on catcher Robert Machado's strong throw. Third baseman Ronnie Belliard easily applied the tag, and the Marlins were frustrated once again.
Wright combined with Luis Vizcaino and Mike DeJean on a three-hitter, as the Brewers blanked the Marlins 1-0 at Pro Player Stadium on Friday night.
"He made a big error in judgment and he knows it," Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said of Owens trying to swipe third when he already was in scoring position. "He was trying to make things happen -- force the issue. But that's bad timing."
Representing the tying run, Owens opened the seventh with a walk and he moved to second on Ramon Castro's sacrifice bunt. With left-handed hitting Andy Fox at the plate, Owens was notified that Wright's delivery to the plate on the first pitch was a relatively slow 1.6 seconds.
Owens detected that Machado was setting up for an inside pitch to Fox, so the outfielder extended his lead and made a quick dash to third. But Wright's fastball turned out being high and outside, creating a perfect opportunity for Machado to rifle a strike to third.
"When you're out, you're the goat," said Owens, who has 22 steals in 30 attempts and took off on his own.
After the play, Owens was visibly upset in the dugout.
His disappointment increased when Fox bounced a single up the middle, Florida's only hit to leave the infield. Had Owens not been caught, he easily would have scored the tying run.
"That's par for the course," Owens said of Fox's hit. "I was trying to make it easier for Andy to drive me in."
At the time, the Marlins managed just a pair of drag-bunt singles by Julian Tavarez in the third and Luis Castillo in the sixth.
Tavarez (7-9) suffered his fifth consecutive loss. But this one was especially hard luck since he threw well enough to win, before tiring after six innings.
Wright, a sinkerball pitcher, was able to induce 12 ground-ball outs in seven innings. Owens rationalized if he was on third with one out, the Brewers would have brought their infield in, increasing Fox's chances for sneaking a grounder into the outfield.
"Maybe the aggressiveness I have on the base paths took us out of the inning," Owens said. "If I had a chance to do it over again, I would."
The Marlins still mounted a mild threat after Fox's single. The shortstop took second when Wright plunked pinch-hitter Kevin Millar with a pitch.
With two outs, Wright slammed the door on the last serious threat by fanning Castillo on a full count.
In four of their last nine games, the Marlins have had four losses where they were held to four hits or less. Three of their last four losses came via shutouts. On July 24, Damian Moss and the Braves combined on a one-hitter. Montreal's Bartolo Colon tossed a two-hit shutout on July 28, and on July 30, St. Louis' Andy Benes picked up the win in a four-hit, 5-0, victory.
The Marlins started the season off as a come-from-behind team, winning nine times with rallies after the sixth inning. But the last time they won after trailing that late in the game was June 22 against Detroit.
"It's frustrating when you don't score any runs," said first baseman Derrek Lee, who flied out to center with two outs and Castillo on third in the sixth. "I got pitches to hit. I just didn't hit them.
"There are no excuses for that on a night like this."
The fact Wright is 4-10 exasperates the Marlins even more, as they fell to 53-56.
"Those are the pitchers we have to take advantage of," Lee said. "We let them off the hook. There really is no excuse for that."
The way Owens saw it, the reward was worth the risk.
Unfortunately for the left fielder, the end result proved disastrous. Owens was pegged by a wide margin on catcher Robert Machado's strong throw. Third baseman Ronnie Belliard easily applied the tag, and the Marlins were frustrated once again.
Wright combined with Luis Vizcaino and Mike DeJean on a three-hitter, as the Brewers blanked the Marlins 1-0 at Pro Player Stadium on Friday night.
"He made a big error in judgment and he knows it," Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said of Owens trying to swipe third when he already was in scoring position. "He was trying to make things happen -- force the issue. But that's bad timing."
Representing the tying run, Owens opened the seventh with a walk and he moved to second on Ramon Castro's sacrifice bunt. With left-handed hitting Andy Fox at the plate, Owens was notified that Wright's delivery to the plate on the first pitch was a relatively slow 1.6 seconds.
Owens detected that Machado was setting up for an inside pitch to Fox, so the outfielder extended his lead and made a quick dash to third. But Wright's fastball turned out being high and outside, creating a perfect opportunity for Machado to rifle a strike to third.
"When you're out, you're the goat," said Owens, who has 22 steals in 30 attempts and took off on his own.
After the play, Owens was visibly upset in the dugout.
His disappointment increased when Fox bounced a single up the middle, Florida's only hit to leave the infield. Had Owens not been caught, he easily would have scored the tying run.
"That's par for the course," Owens said of Fox's hit. "I was trying to make it easier for Andy to drive me in."
At the time, the Marlins managed just a pair of drag-bunt singles by Julian Tavarez in the third and Luis Castillo in the sixth.
Tavarez (7-9) suffered his fifth consecutive loss. But this one was especially hard luck since he threw well enough to win, before tiring after six innings.
Wright, a sinkerball pitcher, was able to induce 12 ground-ball outs in seven innings. Owens rationalized if he was on third with one out, the Brewers would have brought their infield in, increasing Fox's chances for sneaking a grounder into the outfield.
"Maybe the aggressiveness I have on the base paths took us out of the inning," Owens said. "If I had a chance to do it over again, I would."
The Marlins still mounted a mild threat after Fox's single. The shortstop took second when Wright plunked pinch-hitter Kevin Millar with a pitch.
With two outs, Wright slammed the door on the last serious threat by fanning Castillo on a full count.
In four of their last nine games, the Marlins have had four losses where they were held to four hits or less. Three of their last four losses came via shutouts. On July 24, Damian Moss and the Braves combined on a one-hitter. Montreal's Bartolo Colon tossed a two-hit shutout on July 28, and on July 30, St. Louis' Andy Benes picked up the win in a four-hit, 5-0, victory.
The Marlins started the season off as a come-from-behind team, winning nine times with rallies after the sixth inning. But the last time they won after trailing that late in the game was June 22 against Detroit.
"It's frustrating when you don't score any runs," said first baseman Derrek Lee, who flied out to center with two outs and Castillo on third in the sixth. "I got pitches to hit. I just didn't hit them.
"There are no excuses for that on a night like this."
The fact Wright is 4-10 exasperates the Marlins even more, as they fell to 53-56.
"Those are the pitchers we have to take advantage of," Lee said. "We let them off the hook. There really is no excuse for that."