The Marlins whiffed on an opportunity to sweep on Tuesday night, falling 3-2 to the Pirates.  Their first loss in a run-run game this season came when a starter other than Olsen and Hendrickson threw a good game.  Go figure.  After all, the one encouraging sign you can take away from this game is that Nolasco looked like he is settling back in. 6 innings, three runs isn’t great, but when you consider he had a 1-hit shutout through 5, he tossed a good game.  Can’t win em all I guess, but the game should have certainly been tied at 3 in the 7th, and everyone knows it.  Hanley Ramirez was absolutely safe- without question- on his slow roller to third. The tying run should have scored, and Fredi was right in arguing the call.  I know Mclouth was clearly safe at second on a stolen base attempt when he was called out, but 2 wrongs don’t make a right (My mother taught me well).  AND Mclouth’s play wasn’t a game-tying play. Horrible call…….

Almost as horrible as Nolasco and Treanor calling like 23 straight curveballs to Nady. (This is a first-guess, by the way.  I was thinking to myself 2-3 pitches before Nady got the single that Ricky needed to throw him a fastball, b/c he was sitting on the curve). A good hitter like Nady will sit on a curve if you throw him about 6 in a row…which was exactly what Nolasco did.  When he kept fouling it off, you knew he had it timed, and needed to see something else b/c he was locked in on the curveball. If Nolasco threw him a fastball, I think Nady would have been suprised. We will never know. Xavier might have clubbed a fastball for a three-run homer, but I would have liked to see Ricky not throw him so many of the same exact pitch in a row.  Then again, Nolasco didn’t deserve to lose. 

One more thing…the 9th inning.  Great leadoff pinch-hit single by Hermida.  Good bunt by Amezaga, and HORRIBLE call to send Mike Rabelo up with the tying run in scoring positon with one out.  Another first guess, I was thinking when Amezaga lined up to bunt that Wes Helms should hit for Pinto.  I don’t want to hear that ‘righty on righty, righty on leftie’ matchup crap.  Who would you rather have hitting to tie the game when you only have 2 outs left to play with? Wes Helms, who had a lot of big hits for this team in ’06….and a game winner already this year, OR a catcher with a career average of .251 and a whole 22 RBI in 199 at-bats?? It is a no-brainer!!!!!! And a brainlock on the benchcoach who was managing ftl (that’s for the loss, for those of you aren’t in the know). I know Rabelo would have caught the 9th b/c of the hitter for Treanor, but you need to tie the game above all. He could have just been a defensive replacement. This was a horrible call by the bench, and I am shocked no one brought it up in any of the reports that I have read. They all deserve a trip on the failboat, headed by the Umpires.       

1-1 in a 2 game set isn’t bad, but the Marlins had plenty of mistakes in this game that cost them a chance to win.  As a finishing point, I don’t blame Willingham for not making that diving catch.  That ball by Doumit was crushed, and it was a tough play.  Also, great overlooked job by Pinto. 2 innings, 1 hit, and he kept his team in the game. How about the 0.60 ERA!!! Keep it up Reynel!  On to Atlanta.  It’s time for Miller to throw a good game.  Let’s see what happens.  Fish are still in first place!!!!