Coming into play tonight, the Miami Marlins MLB offensive rankings were #25 in team batting average, #27 in OBP, and #30 in wRC+, SLG., home runs, and runs scored. With Chase Anderson pitching relatively well this season, and the Marlins the opponent, things looked pretty good for the Brewers on this evening. Unfortunately, this game was one in which Brewers’ pitching suffered in the stats department, and the Brewers team suffered mightily.
When Chase Anderson is not giving up home runs, he is a very good starting pitcher. When he gives up the long ball, well, he is not so good. That’s kind of the case for any pitcher, but Anderson has had a propensity of giving up homers for some reason (30 in 2018). The Marlins got him for a few tonight.
After giving up a single to Garrett Cooper in the first inning, Anderson left a 92 mph fastball over the middle of the plate that Starlin Castro deposited over the centerfield wall. In the third, Anderson gave up back-to-back homers to Garrett Cooper and Brian Anderson. The Cooper home run came on a low and in change up that didn’t get in enough. The Brian Anderson home run came on a hanging curveball that caught the heart of the plate. He almost gave up a fourth homer to light hitting, Miguel Rojas that bounced off the top of the right field fence. Luckily for the Brewers, he was left stranded at second base.
Manager, Craig Counsell obviously saw that the Marlins were hitting Anderson hard. Thus the Brewers’ starter only lasted four innings, giving up four runs and three home runs. Taylor Williams took over in the fifth inning.
The fifth inning of this game was atrocious for the Brew Crew. As bad as Anderson was tonight, Williams was worse...much worse. Garrett Cooper opened the inning with his third hit of the night with a single. Williams next walked Brian Anderson. Starlin Castro struck out for the first out of the inning. The second out of the inning would not come for awhile as the flood gates opened on the Brewers.
Harold Ramirez doubled down the right field line to score Cooper. Williams next intentionally walked J.T. Riddle. Jorge Alfaro singled to right to score Anderson and Ramirez. Rojas singled in Riddle. The pitcher, Pablo Lopez doubled on a sharp line drive to left scoring Alfaro. Then Curtis Granderson joined the party with a single to left to score Rojas.
At this point the score is 11-0, and mercifully Counsell takes the ball from Williams and gives it to Corbin Burnes. Burnes had to start things off against Garrett Cooper who subsequently hit a flare into right field that dropped for his fourth hit of the evening. That scored Lopez and sent Granderson to third. Brian Anderson followed with a ground ball that should have been an inning ending double play, but Travis Shaw booted it, and Granderson scored. Starlin Castro followed that with a double down the left field line to score Cooper.
Mercifully the second out of the inning came on a ground out by Ramirez, but the Marlins still scored as Anderson crossed the plate. J.T. Riddle next singled to center to score Castro. At the end of the top of the fifth inning, the Marlins had scored the most runs in an inning by an opponent at Miller Park (11), the score was 15-0, and 37 minutes had eclipsed from the sands of time and my time on Earth.
The Marlins would tack on one more In the eighth with Jacob Barnes on the mound. Jorge Alfaro led off the inning with a single. Later in the inning, Alfaro would score on a ground rule double by Austin Dean. Only one pitcher (Alex Claudio) and one position player (Hernan Perez) were able to keep the Marlins from scoring while pitching a baseball.
POSITION PLAYER PITCHING pic.twitter.com/KK7ZeKAfTw
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As bad as the Brewers’ pitching was, the bats didn’t show up either. For the Marlins, Pablo Lopez pitched well. He went six innings, striking out seven and giving up just three hits. The Brewers offense made nothing happen against the Miami bullpen either as Milwaukee was unable to get one run across the plate.
As has been much discussed, tonight was Travis Shaw’s first game back since his injury and rehab assignment. His activation resulted in the demotion to San Antonio of Keston Hiura who legitimately earned his way onto the Brewers’ squad. Nonetheless a roster move had to be made, and Hiura to AAA was the decision made.
The one good thing that did happen tonight was Travis Shaw having a good night at the plate. In his first at-bat, he was able to rope a single into right. Later in the game, he crushed a double over the head of Miami’s right fielder. Even his out was hit hard. Let’s hope this is the re-emergence of the old version of Travis Shaw.
The Brewers and Marlins go at it again tomorrow night at Miller Park as Jimmy Nelson makes his first start for the Brewers since injuring his shoulder on September 8, 2017. He will face off against Sandy Alcantara. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 CT. The game will be transmitted by radio waves on WTMJ and televised on Fox Sports Wisconsin.