MIAMI – This time there would be no pinch-hitting hero, no late comeback and no spine-tingling victory.
Saturday night, the Marlins’ weary bullpen collapsed in a heap in the eighth inning, allowing a 5-2 Marlins lead to turn into an ugly and demoralizing 10-5 loss to the Braves.
“We have to leave here tonight and put this one behind us,” Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla said.
The Marlins were six outs away from winning their third consecutive series and going above .500 for the first time since June 3.
But Marlins relievers Taylor Tankersley, Jhan Marinez and Burke Badenhop combined to allowed eight runs in the eighth. Third baseman Jorge Cantu’s two errors made six of those runs unearned.