Turnin 2 SS 2b
05-30-2002, 09:43 AM
MIAMI -- After a somber 6-5 setback in 11 innings to the Reds Tuesday, Marlins right fielder Cliff Floyd best summed up the mood of the team in a few words.
"We just didn't get the job done tonight," said Floyd following a 3-hour, 39-minute tug-of-war. "That should be the headline...period."
On a night of missed opportunities, there wasn't much to say. The line score revealed all the relevant statistics. Florida hammered out 14 hits, and showed character by rallying back from three runs down early, and eventually forcing extra innings with a ninth-inning comeback off one of the top closers in the National League.
But for all the scrapping from the Marlins, the number that was most telling was 16 runners stranded on base.
A half inning after Florida squandered a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the 10th, Aaron Boone settled matters on the plus side for the Reds with a two-out, solo homer off Vladimir Nunez.
It was Boone's second homer of the game and third in the six-game road trip. Before Tuesday, Boone was hitting a measly .162 (16 for 99) in his last 27 games, compounding Florida's frustrations even more.
"Until we get over the hump, it is just going to be right there for us," Marlins left fielder Eric Owens said.
Opportunity certainly knocked for the Marlins in their first home game after a grueling 14-game road trip, where they finished 5-9.
Failing to deliver in the 10th was the most glaring miscue. Luis Castillo opened the inning with a solid single down the left-field line off Danny Graves. The Marlins even caught a break when Adam Dunn misplayed a carom for a two-base error, as Castillo raced to third.
With no outs and the winning run 90 feet away, Graves remarkably pulled off a great escape on his way to picking up the win.
In the ninth, Mike Lowell singled off Graves and scored the tying run that forced extra innings on Derrek Lee's RBI single. But in the 10th, Graves struck out Lowell -- a .333 batter -- on three pitches with the bases loaded after two intentional walks.
Owens, who stepped up 3-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored, then ended the inning with a sharp line out to Todd Walker at second.
Disgusted, Owens tossed his helmet down hard on the grass.
"You leave 16 on base, which is a lot," Owens said. "When you have second and third, or the leadoff guy on third like (Castillo), that's when you get frustrated.
"Danny Graves is not an All-Star pitcher for the heck of it. He made some really good pitches to Andy Fox, and he made some really good pitches to Mike Lowell. I hit the ball right at the guy. I knew I hit it on the nose."
Late-inning rallies have been a trademark of the Marlins, indicated by the fact they have won six times in their last at-bat and seven times by rallies after the sixth inning.
"It's pretty safe to say I blew that situation," said Lowell, who is .375 (9 for 24) in his last six games.
The loss drops the Marlins to two games behind the Braves in the tightly bunched National League East.
"We're in division where a loss like this doesn't kill us, but it deflates us a little," Owens said.
All-Star Voting Update: Online voting for the All-Star Game is underway, and currently Lowell ranks second in the balloting among NL third baseman. Early balloting results released Tuesday show Lowell (79,634) trails only Philadelphia's Scott Rolen (90,778) among third baseman. Cliff Floyd ranks 10th among outfielders with 48,630 votes.
The Preston Shift: Like they did in Cincinnati, the Reds continued their shift on center fielder Preston Wilson. When the right-handed hitting Wilson bats, second baseman Todd Walker adjusts close to second base. Cincinnati is the only opponent thus far shifting for Wilson. Walker began sliding over for Wilson on May 23 in Cincinnati. Reds bench coach Ray Knight suggested the shift after reviewing tapes.
"We just didn't get the job done tonight," said Floyd following a 3-hour, 39-minute tug-of-war. "That should be the headline...period."
On a night of missed opportunities, there wasn't much to say. The line score revealed all the relevant statistics. Florida hammered out 14 hits, and showed character by rallying back from three runs down early, and eventually forcing extra innings with a ninth-inning comeback off one of the top closers in the National League.
But for all the scrapping from the Marlins, the number that was most telling was 16 runners stranded on base.
A half inning after Florida squandered a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the 10th, Aaron Boone settled matters on the plus side for the Reds with a two-out, solo homer off Vladimir Nunez.
It was Boone's second homer of the game and third in the six-game road trip. Before Tuesday, Boone was hitting a measly .162 (16 for 99) in his last 27 games, compounding Florida's frustrations even more.
"Until we get over the hump, it is just going to be right there for us," Marlins left fielder Eric Owens said.
Opportunity certainly knocked for the Marlins in their first home game after a grueling 14-game road trip, where they finished 5-9.
Failing to deliver in the 10th was the most glaring miscue. Luis Castillo opened the inning with a solid single down the left-field line off Danny Graves. The Marlins even caught a break when Adam Dunn misplayed a carom for a two-base error, as Castillo raced to third.
With no outs and the winning run 90 feet away, Graves remarkably pulled off a great escape on his way to picking up the win.
In the ninth, Mike Lowell singled off Graves and scored the tying run that forced extra innings on Derrek Lee's RBI single. But in the 10th, Graves struck out Lowell -- a .333 batter -- on three pitches with the bases loaded after two intentional walks.
Owens, who stepped up 3-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored, then ended the inning with a sharp line out to Todd Walker at second.
Disgusted, Owens tossed his helmet down hard on the grass.
"You leave 16 on base, which is a lot," Owens said. "When you have second and third, or the leadoff guy on third like (Castillo), that's when you get frustrated.
"Danny Graves is not an All-Star pitcher for the heck of it. He made some really good pitches to Andy Fox, and he made some really good pitches to Mike Lowell. I hit the ball right at the guy. I knew I hit it on the nose."
Late-inning rallies have been a trademark of the Marlins, indicated by the fact they have won six times in their last at-bat and seven times by rallies after the sixth inning.
"It's pretty safe to say I blew that situation," said Lowell, who is .375 (9 for 24) in his last six games.
The loss drops the Marlins to two games behind the Braves in the tightly bunched National League East.
"We're in division where a loss like this doesn't kill us, but it deflates us a little," Owens said.
All-Star Voting Update: Online voting for the All-Star Game is underway, and currently Lowell ranks second in the balloting among NL third baseman. Early balloting results released Tuesday show Lowell (79,634) trails only Philadelphia's Scott Rolen (90,778) among third baseman. Cliff Floyd ranks 10th among outfielders with 48,630 votes.
The Preston Shift: Like they did in Cincinnati, the Reds continued their shift on center fielder Preston Wilson. When the right-handed hitting Wilson bats, second baseman Todd Walker adjusts close to second base. Cincinnati is the only opponent thus far shifting for Wilson. Walker began sliding over for Wilson on May 23 in Cincinnati. Reds bench coach Ray Knight suggested the shift after reviewing tapes.