Marlins Defeated in Bid to Lose Baseball Game, 2-1

So yeah, that was all very dumb-looking.

Apr 13, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley (26) looks on from the dugout in the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park. The Marlins won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Jose Fernandez, the Marlins’ apparent 20-year-old phenom, appeared in his second game and promptly stifled the Phillies in their entirety.  Cole Hamels matched the kid, not allowing a hit for almost five innings, but in the end allowed Fernandez to knock in the first run.  So.

The silver lining is that things didn’t go all wrong for Hamels, and he showed massive improvement compared to last few adventures.

The offense, however, really went sideways; with a 1-for-7 night with RISP, the Phillies were loading the bases, putting runners in scoring position, and then popping out or striking out (Kevin Frandsen, pinch hitting for Laynce Nix in the eighth inning, had a spectacularly ill-conceived at-bat in which he lunged at almost every pitch until the umpire told him, almost in disbelief, to go sit down).

For the most part, this was a dreary, monotonous, glacially-paced disaster in which the Phillies’ ineptitude was exposed inning by inning.

Laynce Nix and Ben Revere both had stellar catches in the outfield early on.  Making his first career start at third, Freddy Galvis was 1-for-3 with a walk.  Not terrible.

Better than Chase Utley, who went 0-for-4 with two runners left on base and the groundball-bobble that ended the game.  In the ninth inning, Phillippe Aumont walked Polanco, then Greg Dobbs smacked one to Frandsen, now playing first, who couldn’t come up with it.

First and third, no outs, and Aumont started notching outs in the form of striking out Austin Kearns.  Then Chris Coghlan hit a potential double play ball to Chase Utley, who ended everybody’s night by trying to juggle it instead of throwing it anywhere.

When it all went wrong

Phillippe Aumont pumped the bases full of Marlins in the ninth inning.  It was that werewolf-like Wild Aumont form we’ve all come to fear, and only after getting himself in trouble did he get his first out via a sharp looking K.

Then the loss happened.

Hero

Let’s give it to Cole Hamels, who didn’t allow a hit through four and two thirds, then watched some bad crap happen, then left the game before anybody could say he imploded.

Villain

Placido Polanco just won’t shut up, which is an issue for teams that bank on the shutting up of hitters who should shut up.  But looking back, the very kind former third baseman was no villain compared to wanton tyranny of single-A rookie Jose Fernandez, the 20-year-old pitcher who not only silenced the entire lineup, but also knocked in the game’s first run.  Off of our ace.

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