Luzardo, relievers struggle during awful inning as Marlins drop series against Padres
The Marlins entered the current homestand, which has them facing three sub-.500 teams, believing they had an opportunity to move up in the National League standings.
But the Padres reminded them they still have one of the more potent lineups in baseball despite their sub-.500 record.
Jesus Luzardo struggled through his second turn through that Padres order as San Diego put together a seven-run sixth inning against him and relievers Matt Barnes and Bryan Hoeing to deal the Marlins a 10-1 loss on Thursday afternoon at loanDepot park.
“A lot of 3-2 counts from him,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “He looked good first three or four innings, but then the pitch count went up and he got hurt by the higher pitch count and maybe a couple of pitches he wants back but a pretty good outing for the most part.”
The Marlins (29-28) dropped two of three to the Padres as they prepare to face the struggling Oakland A’s and Kansas City Royals over the next six days.
Luzardo struggled for the second time in his past three starts, giving up five earned runs on four hits with one walk over 5 ⅓ innings.
Luzardo gave up one run over five innings on Friday against the Angels, but allowed six runs over five innings in his prior start against the Giants.
“It was just falling behind and trying to be too fine maybe and go for the edges when I probably should use more of the plate early in the count,” Luzardo said. “It was frustrating to get so deep into the pitch counts but it probably wasn’t my biggest factor today. It was more chasing the counts and having to throw a fastball in a fastball count.”
This came after Luzardo opened the game with three perfect innings and struck out eight batters overall.
The Padres batted around in that sixth inning with Gary Sanchez delivering a two-run single and Fernando Tatis Jr. hitting a bases clearing double off Hoeing. Sanchez also homered in the fifth inning off Luzardo.
“They stayed on the changeup after I used it a lot the first time through, and looked for it the second time through and put good swings on it,” Luzardo said.
Barnes allowed five runs as well on four hits and one walk and recorded only one out.
Miami also struggled at the plate, mustering only four hits against Padres pitching.
Joe Musgrove, who threw the only no-hitter in Padres history in 2021, was flirting with another for five innings until Luis Arraez reached on an infield single in the bottom of the sixth.
Musgrove pitched six innings, allowed three hits overall, walked three and struck out three on 80 pitches.
The Marlins scored their lone run in the third inning without a hit when Jonathan Davis drew a leadoff walk, stole second, reached third on an error and scored on an Arraez sacrifice fly.
“His spin (was the key). He had his slider, cutter, curveball working today and worked in his sinker to throw us off from the cutter and slider,” Schumaker said. “Joe can spin the ball as good as anyone in the league and kept us off balance. (He forced) a lot of weak contact and threw a really good game today.”
THIS AND THAT
▪ Schumaker said after the game that Garrett Cooper had been experiencing similar symptoms as when he suffered an ear infection which forced him to spend two weeks in early May on the injured list. Schumaker said Cooper was being evaluated for it on Thursday.
Cooper did not play for the second consecutive game.
▪ Joey Wendle is one of the rare few players left in the major leagues who does not wear batting gloves to hit. But he did wear one on his right hand while hitting in Wednesday’s game.
Wendle said on Thursday he did so as a precaution due to a cut he had on his right hand. Wendle was able to get a sacrifice bunt down in the ninth inning of Wednesday’s game to move Yuli Gurriel over to second. Gurriel eventually scored the tying run in Miami’s 2-1 comeback win.
Wendle did not wear the glove during Thursday’s game.
“Every time I swing, it would cut back open and wasn’t going away,” Wendle said. “It feels different and I don’t really like it, but it’s OK.”
▪ After being designated for assignment by the Marlins, former Rule-5 draft pick Nic Enright has been returned to the Cleveland Guardians.
This story was originally published June 1, 2023 at 3:41 PM.
