I’m going to start with the good part: Casey Mize continues to look good on the mound.
The bad, however, is that the Tigers got trounced by the Marlins AGAIN, and it’s just not fun to watch when that happens, so if you were working this afternoon and not able to watch, then lucky you.
Trevor Rogers was on the mound for the Marlins, up against rebounding Mize, and as pitching duals go, it was a good one.
Mize faltered off the hop in the first inning with a leadoff single to Jazz Chisholm Jr, followed by a Bryan De La Cruz homer to put the Marlins up 2-0 before the game was barely begun. The score would stay that way through seven. Mize got the next three batters in order. In the home half Matt Vierling got a leadoff single, but then three consecutive outs ended the inning.
The Marlins went 1-2-3 in the top of the second, and in the bottom half the Tigers got a baserunner in the form of a Spencer Torkelson single, but they left him stranded.
Jazz Chisholm Jr got a one-out walk in the top of the third. He stayed at first as the next two outs came in order. Carson Kelly got a walk of his own to start the bottom half, then one out later Andy Ibanez was hit by a pitch to put two men on. Mark Canha then walked to load the bases, and STILL the Tigers weren’t able to make anything happen.
The fourth inning was 1-2-3 for both sides. In fact, the next hit didn’t come until the bottom of the fifth when Carson Kelly knocked a leadoff single. Three outs later his efforts were wasted.
The sixth was a three-up three-down for both teams.
In the top of the seventh, Tyler Holton replaced Casey Mize. Mize’s VERY NICE day ended with a line of 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HR on 90 pitches. Those two hits, of course, were the first two batters of the game. He kept everything locked down after that initial fumble. If you take anything away from this game, take that Casey Mize is looking really good right now. Holton got the Marlins out in order. Carson Kelly might be the only one working for hits today, as he got a two-out single, but nothing came of it.
Onto the eighth and with it, Will Vest pitching for the Tigers. With two outs, Nick Fortes hit a single. That was it. Mark Canha got his own two-out single, bringing the potential tying run to the plate. That was it, as well.
Beau Brieske was in for the ninth. Two outs later, Jesus Sanchez, then Jake Burger singled. Just a reminder at this point in the season the Marlins have only won 12 games going into today’s game and I’m pretty sure all 12 of them were against the Tigers. Don’t come at me with facts, this is feeling-based and I don’t need your logic here. Anyway Brieske got the final out of the inning giving the Tigers one last chance to tie or win the game. Javier Baez singled. Carson Kelly then valiantly attempted to hit every possible foul ball to keep his at-bat alive. He won the battle, singling to put two men on with two outs. Alas Riley Greene couldn’t play the hero and the Tigers had their second straight shutout loss in as many days.
Final: Marlins 2, Tigers 0