The St. Louis Cardinals handed the Miami Marlins a 3-2 loss at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Monday in spring training play. Despite Kemp Alderman's 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI effort at the plate, the Marlins could not pull even when it mattered. Adam Mazur worked 2.0 innings on the mound, allowing 0 earned runs on 0 hits. The Marlins finished with 6 hits on the day while holding the Cardinals to 5. The loss is a minor bump as the Marlins continue fine-tuning ahead of Opening Day. The exhibition season is about preparation, and today provided the kind of reps the coaching staff needs to see.
Key Performers
Kemp Alderman was the standout at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. His power was on full display throughout the game. The Marlins will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Jesús Bastidas added to the attack, going 1-for-3 with an RBI, Brendan Jones provided support, going 1-for-1, and Deyvison De Los Santos also contributed, going 1-for-3. The Marlins showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Yohel Pozo led the Cardinals offense with a 1-for-2 with an RBI day. Colton Ledbetter also contributed, going 1-for-1 with an RBI. Ramon Mendoza added a 1-for-2 with a double effort as well. The Cardinals offense proved to be too much for the Marlins pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Adam Mazur got the start, running into trouble, working 2.0 innings while allowing 0 earned runs on 0 hits. He threw 26 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 6.2 innings of work, allowing 3 earned runs while striking out six. The Marlins continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting.
Among the relievers, Josh Ekness stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
The Marlins struck first, plating a run in the second inning. The Marlins tacked on a run in the fourth. Cardinals countered with two runs in the seventh. Cardinals plated a run in the ninth. The Marlins out-hit Cardinals 6-5 on the day, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 3,899 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
Despite the result, the Marlins will take the lessons learned from this game and move forward. Spring training is about preparation and evaluation, not wins and losses, and the coaching staff gained valuable information about the roster today. There is still time to make adjustments before the regular season begins, and games like this one are part of that process.
