Marlins Add to Brilliant, Quirky Spring Training Streak with Win Over Mets
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When spring training gets into mid-March, the results of the games start to matter a little more. Wins and losses don’t count, of course. But how a team is winning and losing is worth watching.
The Miami Marlins beat the New York Mets on Friday, 1-0. Starter Chris Paddack threw three inning and was followed by six other pitchers, all of which pitched an inning of scoreless baseball. They combined to allow five hits and five walks, while they struck out a combined 13 hitters.
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Shutouts happen. It’s baseball. But what the Marlins have done lately, the streak that they’re on they win, is downright quirky.
The Marlins’ Quirky Win Streak
The Marlins haven’t won four games in a row in the spring. In fact, since Feb. 26, they are 5-7-1. But, Friday’s game was notable because it was the fourth straight Marlins win in which they haven’t allowed a run.
Yes, that’s right. Four straight shutout victories. The last time Miami won a game while allowing a run was on Feb. 26 when they beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 8-7. The Blue Jays scored their final run in that game in the fourth inning. So, the Marlins have gone 41 straight innings without allowing a run in a game they’ve won.
So, yes, quirky.
After the win over the Blue Jays, the Marlins lost two games before beating the Washington Nationals, 3-0, on March. 1. Incredibly, Paddack was the starting pitcher and took the victory in that game. He and five other pitchers held the Nats to four hits and five walks, along with striking out nine.
After a loss the following day, the Marlins won back-to-back shutouts by the same 2-0 score. Miami defeated Houston on March 5 and then the Mets on March 6.
In the Houston game, Sandy Alcantara and Robby Snelling combined for six shutout innings, followed by three relievers. Combined they allowed just one hit and three walks, while they struck out 13.
Against the Mets, the Marlins started with Max Meyer, who threw three innings. Five relievers followed him and they combined to allow six hits and one walk. They also combined to strike out 12 hitters.
The Marlins have 10 more spring training games ahead of them, starting with Saturday’s split squad games with Washington in West Palm Beach, Fla., and St. Louis at the team’s facility in Jupiter. At some point the streak will end. The Marlins will win a game and allow a run. That time just wasn’t on Friday night in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
