The Miami Marlins fell 4-1 to the Houston Astros at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Wednesday in spring training play. Despite Heriberto Hernández's 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI effort at the plate, the Marlins could not pull even when it mattered. On the mound, Max Meyer turned in a solid outing, working 3.0 innings of scoreless ball with six strikeouts. The Astros out-hit the Marlins 6-2 on the day. The Marlins will look to regroup as spring training rolls on. There is still time to work through the rough patches before the regular season arrives, and the coaching staff will use today's performance as a learning opportunity.
Key Performers
Heriberto Hernández was the top performer at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. The long ball provided a major boost to the offensive attack. It was the kind of day at the plate that suggests good things ahead for the Marlins offense.
Kemp Alderman provided support, going 1-for-1. Despite the individual efforts, the offense could not generate enough sustained production.
On the other side of the diamond, Isaac Paredes led the Astros offense with a 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI day. Zach Cole also contributed, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. Jose Altuve added a 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI effort as well. The Astros offense proved to be too much for the Marlins pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Max Meyer got the start, grinding through his innings, working 3.0 innings while allowing 0 earned runs on 1 hit with six strikeouts. He threw 48 pitches in the outing. His outing provided the coaching staff with another data point as rotation and bullpen decisions loom.
The bullpen combined for 6.0 innings of work, allowing 4 earned runs while striking out six. The relief corps kept the game within reach after the starter departed. Managing the bullpen workload is a key priority during the spring, and every outing helps the coaching staff gauge who is ready for high-leverage situations. Anthony Maldonado recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Janson Junk stood out with 2.0 innings of 1-run work, striking out two. The outing gave the coaching staff confidence in his ability to contribute this season.
How It Happened
Astros got on the board first with a run in the fourth inning. Astros pushed across two runs in the sixth. The Marlins struck back with a run in the seventh. Astros answered with a run in the eighth. The Astros were able to score in three separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Astros out-hit the Marlins 6-2, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 2,434 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Marlins will regroup and get back to work in their next outing. While the final score was not in their favor, the exhibition season is about building toward the regular season, and this game provided useful reps for a roster still taking shape. The coaching staff will review the performance and make adjustments before the next time out.
