Marlins lose Rea, but crush Cards, reclaim Wild Card

MIAMI — On a night the Marlins suffered a significant blow to their rotation, the offense stepped up with seven extra-base hits, including a two-run homer from Marcell Ozuna, in an 11-0 win over the Cardinals at Marlins Park on Saturday.

The Marlins were rolling along early, getting to Cardinals lefty Jaime Garcia for four runs in the first inning, before concern struck in the fourth. Colin Rea, acquired from the Padres on Friday, exited in the fourth inning with a sore right elbow. David Phelps picked up the next 2 2/3 innings, and the Marlins coasted to a victory that pulled them even with the Cards for the second National League Wild Card spot.

Staked to an early four-run lead, Rea was cruising through three innings, allowing just one hit and no walks. But in the fourth inning, he motioned to the dugout after he struck out Jedd Gyorko on his 44th and final pitch of the night.

Ozuna’s two-run homer in the first punctuated a four-run inning. Dee Gordon started things off with a double on Garcia’s first pitch. Christian Yelich had an RBI double and Giancarlo Stanton ripped a run-scoring single.

Yelich also drove in a run in a four-run fourth. He and Jeff Mathis each had three hits to lead Miami’s 12-hit attack.

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDSore elbow derails Rea: Everything was going so smoothly for Rea, who found himself pitching at Marlins Park for the first time. The right-hander was dealing for 3 1/3 innings before he waved, with his glove, to the dugout after striking out Gyorko on an 86.8-mph split-finger fastball. He struck out …

continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com