ATLANTA – For the Florida Marlins, a winning season is no longer part of the equation. What is: trying to salvage what remains of it when they stagger home from a dreadful trip in which almost nothing went right.
The Braves took care of the Marlins in a 5-1 victory to complete a series sweep, improve their chances of winning the wild card, and knocking the Marlins – losers of six of seven games on the trip – to four games below .500.
At least it will be over soon for the Marlins, who scored only 14 runs the entire trip. Then again, when the lineup routinely consists of five or six rookies as it does nowadays due to a rash of injuries, there is little reason to expect differently.
“There was no offense this road trip,” manager Edwin Rodriguez said.
The Marlins mustered only five extra-base hits and five total runs over the final four games of the trip, all losses. It was the first time that the Braves swept the Marlins in Atlanta since the 2007 season.
Making perhaps his final appearance in a Marlins uniform, Andrew Miller delivered another dud. Miller coughed up four runs on four hits and an equal number of walks in just three innings. Miller threw 77 pitches.
If, in fact, Wednesday was Miller’s final hurrah, he will close out his career with the Marlins with a record of 11-20 and ERA of 5.89 since being obtained from Detroit in the Miguel Cabrera deal. Since being called up last month, Miller has gone 1-5 with an 8.54 ERA, walking 26 in 32 2/3 innings.
Miller’s numbers this season at Double A Jacksonville weren’t any better (a 1-8 record and 6.01 ERA in 18 starts) making it a season to forget for the former first-round draft pick.
“It’s not as simple as that,” Miller said. “I’m not going to try to black it out of my memory on purpose. I think I’m getting closer. I’ve been saying that for a long time.”
The Braves scored four runs with two outs in the third when – after issuing back-to-back walks – Miller gave up a RBI double to David Ross and three-run home run to Brooks Conrad. Ross, the backup for Brian McCann, had three doubles, though the first was ruled as a hit even though it struck Logan Morrison’s glove in left.
Conrad replaced Martin Prado, who was lost for the season Monday when he sustained a bruised hip and torn oblique.
The Marlins repeatedly came up empty at the plate even though the Braves sent out starters Tim Hudson and Derek Lowe on short rest. Hudson shut down the Marlins on Tuesday, holding them to one run over six innings. Lowe did the same Wednesday, holding the Marlins to a run over 5 2/3.
“The clutch hits never came,” Rodriguez said.
Said Marlins third baseman Chad Tracy, who had three of his team’s nine hits: “Those guys are hungry. They can taste it.”
Mike Stanton drove in the Marlins’ only run with a two out single in the sixth off Lowe.
Now it’s home to South Florida to close out the season against the Pirates, a team that owns the worst road record in the majors and wrapped up another losing season.
The Marlins can finish right at .500 if they win all four.