Marlins Pound K-Rod in Ninth, Brewers Lose Again

Sep 8, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Miami Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton (27) celebrates with shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria (3) after the Marlins beat the Milwaukee Brewers 6-4 at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

The Milwaukee Brewers, still mired in their worst stretch of baseball of the season, were back at it on Tuesday night in the second of their four games against the Florida Marlins.

Matt Garza (7-8, 3.87 ERA) came out for his second start since coming off the disabled list with an oblique injury; he faced off against Tom Koehler (9-9, 3.74 ERA) for the Marlins.

Neither pitcher went more than five innings, and it became a battle of the bullpens with the game tied at two after five innings. The Brewers looked like they would steal a late win from the Marlins, but K-Rod coughed up the game in the ninth and the Marlins took a 6-3 win.

Garza had to throw 48 pitches in just his first two innings of work tonight, but he did manage to keep the Marlins off the board. In the first Donovan Solano had a single up the middle, and the Marlins picked up two hits in the second on singles from Marcell Ozuna and Adeiny Hechavarria.

A first inning walk by Aramis Ramirez and second inning walk by Jean Segura is all the Brewers could manage in the first two innings against Koehler.

The Marlins opened the scoring in the top of the third. Christian Yelich led off with a single and stole second. He came around to score two pitches later on a Solano single to right giving Florida a 1-0 lead.

After a Giancarlo Stanton double-play ground out, Casey McGehee walked and took second on a throwing error by Garza. Garza had McGehee picked off, and McGehee took off for second and Garza threw it away. He came around to score on an Ozuna single to left and give the Marlins a 2-0 lead.

The Brewers answered back in the bottom of the inning. With one out Scooter Gennett singled to right and moved to second on a Jonathan Lucroy single to left. Aramis Ramirez followed with a double down the line in right. Stanton made a sliding try on it but he couldn’t come up with it and Gennett came around to score.

Gerardo Parra grounded out on a dribbler toward first. Koehler fielded it and took Parra at first, allowing Lucroy to score and tie the game at two.

Garza came back and struck out the side in the fourth inning, putting him at 84 pitches through four spelling the end of his night. He went four innings and allowed two runs on six hits and one walk. He struck out seven Marlins.

The Brewers threatened but couldn’t capitalize in the bottom half of the frame. Segura and pinch-hitter Mark Reynolds drew back-to-back walks with one out, but ground outs by Carlos Gomez and Gennett ended the inning.

Jeremy Jeffress came on to pitch the fifth for the Brewers and worked a clean inning. Parra had a two-out single in the bottom half of the frame but was thrown out stealing second to end the inning.

The Marlins retook the lead in the sixth. Ozuna drew a one-out walk and Garrett Jones doubled him home to take a 3-2 lead. Two batters later Jeffress walked Hechavarria to get to the pitcher’s spot in the order with two on and two out. Redmond sent Justin Bour to pinch-hit for Koehler and he struck out to end the inning.

Koehler went five innings and allowed two runs on six hits and three walks. He struck out three Brewers.

Chris Hatcher came on to pitch the sixth for the Marlins. He put down Davis and Overbay on ground outs for two quick outs. Segura followed with a single up the middle, to put one on for Matt Clark, pinch hitting for Jeffress, but he grounded out to end the inning.

The next reliever in line for the Brewers was Will Smith. Yelich singled to lead off the inning on a challenge call (he was initially ruled out on the infield single), and Smith struck out Solano for the first out that was it for him as Ron Roenicke called for Brandon Kintzler.

Kintzler struck out Stanton for the second out of the inning but McGehee knocked a single to right to move Yelich to third. Kintzler walked Ozuna to load the bases which ended his night and Zach Duke came in to strike out pinch hitter Jeff Baker to end the inning.

With Hatcher still on the mound Gennett knocked a one-out double down the line in left in the bottom half of the seventh. Two batters later Ramirez singled on a little flare up the middle to bring him home and tie the game at three.

That was it for Hatcher, as the Marlins called on lefty Mike Dunn to pitch to Parra. The Brewers countered by sending Ryan Braun to the plate, but he struck out to end the inning.

Jonathan Broxton came in to pitch the eighth for the Crew and sent down Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Hechavarria and Jordany Valdespin in order to send the game to the bottom of the eighth.

Bryan Morris came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth for the fish. Khris Davis led off with a single to put the go-ahead run on base. Overbay followed with a walk, and Segura was attempting to bunt the runners up a base but Morris dropped it when attempting to field it to load the bases.

Rickie Weeks came on to pinch-hit for Broxton. Weeks grounded out on a little chopper to third, and McGehee threw Davis out at home for the first out of the inning. Hector Gomez came in to pinch run for Overbay at third base. Carlos Gomez bounced to McGehee at third, and again he threw out the runner at home. Gennett flew out to right to end the inning.

Francisco Rodriguez came on to pitch the ninth for Milwaukee, with Jason Rogers taking over at first base. K-Rod got Yelich to ground out and Solano to pop out behind the plate before facing Stanton who walked to bring up McGehee.

McGehee belted a two-run home run (4) into the bullpen in left to give the Marlins a 5-3 lead. Ozuna followed with a home run (21) of his own to make it 6-3 Marlins.

Closer Steve Cishek came on to pitch the ninth for the Marlins. Ramirez knocked a one-out single to right to bring up the tying run. Braun followed Ramirez’ single with a walk to put two on for Davis. Davis lined out to right for the second out of the inning. Rogers flew out to center to end the game.

K-Rod took the loss for Milwaukee. The series will continue tomorrow, but I’m too lazy and tired to look up who is pitching. Get drunk.