Marlins 7, Nationals 3
By Barry Svrluga
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, May 10, 2008
The Florida Marlins arrived last night at Nationals Park in first place in the National League East in no small part because nearly every member of their lineup can hit a home run at any point, and because their bullpen -- formerly hideous -- has discovered more than a few usable arms.
But as the Marlins and the Washington Nationals play a three-game series this weekend, pick out the best player on the field. Last night, veteran outfielder Luis González delivered the blow that widened the margin in the Marlins' 7-3 victory, a three-run double in the sixth. Florida right-hander Ricky Nolasco countered with his best outing of the year, six innings in which the Nationals managed just four hits and scored just once.
All that helped forge the Marlins' sixth win against the Nationals in seven tries this season, the basis for their best start after 35 games in their short history. Yet none of it involves the best player on the field. That would be Hanley Ramírez, the Marlins' third-year shortstop.
"Hanley can do whatever he wants in the game," Nationals Manager Manny Acta said. "It's that simple."
On a night when the Nationals lost for the third time in four games, Ramírez's line looked rather pedestrian: 1 for 3, two runs scored, one batted in, a double and a walk. Nothing eye-popping. Here, though, is his influence on the outcome.
In the first inning, Nationals right-hander Tim Redding -- who was charged with five earned runs in 5 1/3 innings, an effort he called "poor" -- allowed a bloop single to leadoff man Cody Ross, then struck out Jeremy Hermida. With Ramírez at the plate -- he is now hitting .409 since the Marlins dropped him from leadoff to third in the order seven games ago -- Ross was able to get a good jump toward second. He stole the base easily, and when Wil Nieves's throw skipped into center, the Marlins had a runner on third with one out. Ramírez did his job, lofting a ball to left. Sacrifice fly, Marlins 1, Nationals 0.
"He's, I think, the most gifted guy in the league," said Nationals infielder Aaron Boone, a teammate of Ramírez's last year in Florida. "That phrase the sky's the limit gets thrown around all the time, but it is. He's unbelievable. He can beat you so many ways and take over a game. He's really, really special."
Last night wasn't a takeover like April 20, when Ramírez hit two homers to beat the Nationals. This was far more subtle. Skip ahead to the fourth. Redding issued a leadoff walk to Hermida, one of a season-high four Redding allowed. That brought up Ramírez. Depending on the hitter, the Nationals shift their outfielders more dramatically than almost any team in the league. Thus, right fielder Austin Kearns was shaded well around toward right-center. Redding tried to follow the plan and bust Ramírez inside.
"I just threw the ball right down the middle," Redding said. Ramírez didn't miss it, drilling the ball to right, sending Kearns on a marathon of a run toward the corner. It all served to set up Jorge Cantú's two-run single to center. Marlins 3, Nationals 0.
Finally came Redding's undoing in the sixth. With Florida leading 3-1, Hermida singled to lead off the inning. Redding then faced Ramírez for the third time.
"Regardless of who he is," Acta said, "you have to throw him strikes."
Redding didn't. One measure of Ramírez's maturity at age 24: Redding tried to get him to chase, and he would have no part of it.
"He, so to speak, called my bluff," Redding said. "I tried to throw him sliders that broke in the zone and broke out. He didn't swing at any of them. Tried to throw him sinking fastballs to try to get him to hit one into the ground for a double play." Again, nothing.
"The guy could hit from the leadoff spot to the nine hole and still be a .330 hitter," Redding said.
With that came four straight balls, and the Marlins had a rally. Two batters later -- after an out and another walk, this one to Dan Uggla, who Redding had struck out twice -- Redding was gone. Jesús Colome came on, and González immediately shot his double to right field. Marlins 6, Nationals 1, and they tacked on one more in the inning.
"I missed my spot," Colome said.
Even with all that, the Nationals had one monumental chance to come back. In the seventh against Florida reliever Doug Waechter, Cristian Guzmán hit an RBI single, Nick Johnson an RBI single, pulling the Nationals within 7-3. Lastings Milledge walked to load the bases and oust Waechter.
Marlins Manager Fredi González brought in right-hander Justin Miller to face Kearns. Miller threw a fastball for strike one, but then missed. With the count 1-1, Kearns swung hard. A single would have kept the rally alive, but this ball settled into shallow center, where Ross caught it easily just after Kearns tossed his bat to the ground in disgust.
Today, the two teams will play again, their eighth of 18 meetings on the year. Florida will take the field as the surprising first-place team in the division; the Nationals are securely in last. One possible explanation: One team has Ramírez, the other does not.
"When you have a guy like that -- that's that good -- in your lineup," Boone said, "you tend to not go through stretches as a team where you struggle. He's just really, really special."
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