As the San Francisco Giants and Miami Marlins open a three-game series in Florida, one team struggling on offense will meet another having issues with their gloves.
Giants left-hander Kyle Harrison (0-1, 3.86 ERA) and Marlins right-hander Cal Quantrill (3-4, 6.09 ERA) are the announced starters in hopes of more support than their teammates have provided in recent outings.
Making his first start of the season, Harrison got no offensive backing in a 3-0 loss at Washington on Saturday. The 23-year-old limited the Nationals to two runs in four innings, but to no avail.
The third-year major-leaguer has made just one previous start against the Marlins and came away a 4-3 winner last April, going six innings.
The Giants haven’t scored more than four runs in a game since a 9-1 home win over the Athletics on May 16. They were held to a total of five runs in three straight losses at Detroit earlier this week.
A seven-game winner as part of the Giants’ regular rotation last season, Harrison admitted after his last start that getting that job back in the wake of a minor-league demotion and four relief outings earlier this season got him excited about getting out there and doing it again Friday in Miami.
“It felt good to have a day dedicated to me,” he said. “Went about my business. Good to get in a routine again.”
The Giants have lost four of six on their trip and now face the Marlins, who held their own while going 3-3 on the road against the Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres over the past week.
The flight home became a lot smoother after Wednesday’s come-from-behind 10-8 win over the Padres — a day after rookie second baseman Ronny Simon made three errors as the Marlins saw a 6-0 lead turn into an 8-6 defeat.
The win was an emotional one for the Marlins, who on Tuesday night left the ballpark feeling sorry for Simon. The rookie shed tears before getting words of encouragement from both clubhouses, including Padres players Luis Arraez, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado.
Simon did not play in Wednesday’s game but figures to be back in the lineup at some point of the Giants’ series. Tuesday’s start was the eighth of the season for the 25-year-old, who so far has hit .234 without a home run.
“A lot of people told me that’s going to happen in the big leagues. ‘Keep your head up. It doesn’t matter what happened in the past. Tomorrow is another day,'” Simon said. “The only thing I say: Thank you for everybody.”
The Marlins made at least one error in all three of their games in San Diego.
Quantrill hopes to cap one of the best months of his career against the Giants. The Marlins have won three of his four May starts, with the 30-year-old allowing just one run in each of the wins, although he was pulled after just 3 1/3 innings against the Angels on Saturday.
For the month, he’s pitched to a 3.06 ERA, which has dropped his season ERA more than two full points, from 8.10 to 6.09.
The former Stanford star has gone 3-0 with a 3.06 ERA in six career starts against the Giants.
–Field Level Media
