Marlins blank Pirates, 5-0
MIAMI (AP) – Rookie Ricky Nolasco allowed four hits in 7 1-3 innings and struck out seven, leading the Florida Marlins over the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-0 on Saturday. Nolasco (8-6) walked two and matched his career high in strikeouts. He also fanned seven on June 3 at Colorado.
Nolasco joins fellow rookies Josh Johnson (8-5) and Scott Olsen (8-4) with eight wins. The last team to have three rookies each record eight-plus wins was the 2003 Arizona Diamondbacks: Oscar Villareal (10-7), Brandon Webb (10-9), and Stephen Randolph (8-1).
With one out in the eighth, Nolasco walked pinch-hitter Joe Randa. Taylor Tankersley relieved Nolasco and retired the next two hitters before Chris Resop worked the ninth to finish the four-hitter.
Kip Wells (0-5) gave up 10 hits and three runs while walking three and striking out two in 5 2-3 innings. He has lost 18 of his last 21 decisions.
The 29-year-old Wells missed the start of the season with a blocked artery in his right arm. He made his first start on June 20 at Kansas City. His last win was on October 1, 2005, against Milwaukee.
The Marlins took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Alfredo Amezaga singled with one out and moved to third on a groundout.
Mike Jacobs then hit a fly to right-center. Right fielder Nate McLouth seemed to wave off center fielder Jose Bautista, but then stopped. Bautista lunged for the ball but it fell in for a triple that scored Amezaga. Jacobs scored on Jeremy Hermida’s double.
Florida increased its lead to 3-0 in the fifth. Miguel Cabrera singled to open the inning and went to third on Jacobs’ single. He scored on Cody Ross’ sacrifice fly to right field.
A two-out double by Pittsburgh’s Sean Casey and a walk to Bautista put runners on first and second in the fourth, but Nolasco struck out Jose Castillo to end the threat.
The Marlins had runners on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the eighth. Cabrera hit a flyball to center field and Bautista tried to make a one-handed catch but dropped the ball, allowing both runs to score to make the score 5-0.
NOTES: Cabrera has hit safely in five straight games after being in a 2-for-29 slump. … Nolasco had his first multihit game. … Pittsburgh starters had gone at least six innings in three consecutive games.