Nolasco lifts Marlins to series win over Pirates

Baseball Betting Lines

07/05/2009 - Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ricky Nolasco was spectacular on the mound, tossing eight innings of three-hit ball to lead the Florida Marlins in a 5-0 shutout of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the rubber match of a three-game series at Land Shark Stadium.

Nolasco (6-6) fanned a season-high 12 batters and walked two to win his fourth consecutive start for the Marlins, who finished a six-game homestand with a 5-1 mark. In his six starts since a stint in Triple-A, the righty has allowed just seven runs over 41 frames.

Jeremy Hermida went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for Florida, which has won eight of its last 10 home series against Pittsburgh. John Baker went 2-for-4 with an RBI, double, and run scored. Dan Uggla and Chris Coghlan each drove in a run.

The Marlins were without shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who was scratched from Sunday's lineup due to a tight right hip flexor.

Ross Ohlendorf (7-7) lasted five frames, giving up five runs on nine hits with three strikeouts and one walk to take the loss for the Pirates, who have lost two in a row and four of their last five overall.

Andrew McCutchen, who had a pair of hits, and Garrett Jones accounted for the only three Pittsburgh hits in the tilt.

The Marlins drew first blood with a pair of runs in the second inning. Hermida tripled to center and Cody Ross was hit by a pitch to put men on the corners. Baker then reached on a fielder's choice, which knocked in Hermida. Wes Helms singled to load the bases with nobody out. Nolasco hit into a double play, but it drove in Ross.

Hermida's two-out, RBI single in the third extended Florida's margin to three. Jorge Cantu doubled to left and crossed the plate on Hermida's hit up the middle.

Florida continued to pile up the runs in the fourth, plating two more to make it a 5-0 game. Baker and Helms started the frame with back-to-back singles and Nolasco moved the runners up a base with a sacrifice bunt. Coghlan knocked in Baker with a single to center, and Uggla hit an RBI bloop single two batters later.

Pittsburgh put a man on second with two outs in the third and fourth, but failed to capitalize on both occasions.

Leo Nunez pitched a scoreless ninth for the Marlins to secure the victory.

Game Notes

Pittsburgh was without second baseman Freddy Sanchez (lower back) on Sunday...Florida signed free agent pitcher Brendan Donnelly and placed pitcher Chris Leroux on the 15-day disabled list on Sunday...The Marlins begin a seven-game road trip with a three-game series with San Francisco, starting Monday. The Pirates head to Houston for a three-game set with the Astros, beginning Monday.

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Marlins could start season without No. 2 starter Johnson

JUPITER, Fla. -- The Foorida Marlins are preparing for the likelihood that right-hander
Josh Johnson won't be ready when the season starts April 2.

Grapefruit League action starts Wednesday, but Johnson, penciled in as the No. 2 starter, hasn't even thrown off a mound at full speed since September. He's experienced some soreness in his right forearm.

MySportsbook.com have the Marlins listed with baseball betting lines at +800 to win the NL East this season .

''You guys know the math. If he's not on the hill then he becomes an opening day roster issue,'' manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday. ''We're borderline now.''

Johnson, who finished 12-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 2007, was supposed to throw on flat ground Saturday. That was canceled when he woke up with pain.

He played catch on Wednesday with no pain but felt discomfort in a throwing session on Thursday. He's expected to try again Sunday.

''Like we always said from the very beginning, we're going to take it easy on him,'' Gonzalez said. ''He didn't feel right, so we shut him down. We're going to take it back to step one and see where we're at.''

Among the candidates to take Johnson's spot in the rotation are left-hander Chris George and right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and Jose Garcia.

Right-hander Sergio Mitre, who missed most of last season with arm and shoulder problems, also is behind.

With Johnson's status doubtful, Gonzalez said right-hander Ricky Nolasco will stay in the rotation and no longer will be considered a candidate for closer.

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