Miami Marlins fall to Chicago Cubs 1-5 as Josh Johnson struggles - MLB Update
Starter Josh Johnson leaks four runs in little more than six innings as he cost the Miami Marlins a 1-5 defeat against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois on July 18, 2012 in a rain-shortened second game of the three match series.
For first six innings, the Marlins were in control of the game. Though, they did not score many runs in this time period. Their starter Johnson was keeping them in contention, nonetheless.
Furthermore, if it was not for the seventh inning rough-up, he would have helped the Marlins in winning the game. However, before this inning both the sides were equally poised for claiming the victory.
Once rain came down, the game was called off. Thus, the Marlins had no chance to come back into the match afterwards.
Offensively, the Marlins had reasonable number of hits struck, but they failed to capitalise on them. Additionally, the absence of quality sluggers in their line-up was felt.
In this connection, one can claim that the presence of their injured out-fielder Giancarlo Stanton will have made the huge difference to their chances in the game.
Meanwhile, Marlins’ manager Ozzie Guillen talked about the unfortunate reality that prevailed for them.
As they were unable to get base-runners aboard on a number of occasions, Guillen stresses the need to improve on this area. Whenever the batters can strike hits during the bases-loading situations, the Marlins win, he believes.
"That's what we doing the best, leaving people on base," Ozzie Guillen said. "Every time we play good it's because we drive those guys (in). We take advantage. When we don't, we have the result we have tonight."
Similarly, Johnson explains how things went wrong for him all of a sudden during the game.
"Things were rolling along, I was getting early contact, getting ahead for the most part," Johnson said. "But then you get a chopper and a bloop. Nothing you can really do about it."
The Marlins still have a chance to clinch the series victory. If they can work out their weak areas and can come up with an improved show in the next game, they have every reason to win the series.
It will be exciting to see the Marlins take on the Cubs in the last game.
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