The Miami Marlins have the worst record in the National League at 7-24. They also have the worst home record in the majors (3-15).
But that doesn’t mean the Marlins — who will host the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday evening — don’t put forth the effort.
Just ask Marlins manager Skip Schumaker, who spoke after Miami broke its seven-game losing streak with a 7-6 win over the Rockies in 10 innings on Tuesday night.
“For anybody who says we don’t care, we don’t fight, we don’t work — this proves everyone wrong who thinks that,” Schumaker said. “The results are the results. But it’s not a lack of effort or a lack of care.”
The same could be said about the Rockies, who have the second-worst record in the National League at 7-22. Colorado also has the worst road record in the league (2-12). The Rockies squandered a 5-0 lead in the ninth inning on Tuesday.
“That was a tough one,” manager Bud Black said. “We shot ourselves in the foot.”
On Wednesday, the Rockies will start right-hander Dakota Hudson (0-4, 6.57 ERA).
Hudson, 29, was the St. Louis Cardinals’ first-round pick in 2016 out of Mississippi State. He was non-tendered by the Cardinals in November and signed a one-year contract with the Rockies in January.
Dating to last season, he is 0-6 in his past nine starts.
He is 2-0 with a 3.54 ERA in six career games (three starts) against the Marlins.
However, he is just 17-17 with a 5.00 ERA on the road. He is much better at home, posting a 21-7 record with a 3.05 ERA.
Offensively, the Rockies are powered by third baseman Ryan McMahon, who leads the team in batting average (.321), OPS (.892), homers (four) and RBIs (18). He has hit at least 20 homers in each of his past three seasons.
Meanwhile, the Marlins will start right-hander Roddery Munoz (0-0, 3.60) on Wednesday. The rookie will make just his second MLB appearance.
Offensively, Miami is led by second baseman Luis Arraez, who is hitting .299. He has won two straight batting titles — one in each league.
Schumaker said he was happy for Arraez and the rest of the Marlins players on Tuesday as they hung in and rallied past the Rockies.
“It feels good to end the game like that,” Schumaker said of the walk-off victory. “Much-needed win as everybody knows. I just hope this builds momentum.
“We haven’t won two games in a row all year.”
Dane Myers had the game-winning single in the 10th inning on Tuesday. He finished the game 2-for-2 with three RBIs.
Ironically, Myers didn’t start the contest. He entered the game in the seventh after Jazz Chisholm Jr. was ejected for arguing a strikeout on a close pitch.
Schumaker said he was disappointed in Chisholm for his lack of composure.
“Two more at-bats in his spot came up, and he’s a big part of our club,” Schumaker said. “He’s been doing great. He’s been doing early work. We need him in the game.
“The borderline pitches, he can’t get upset about that. I don’t want our identity to be that we argue balls and strikes that are close pitches.”
–Field Level Media
