Takeaways as Jesus Luzardo struggles and Marlins blown out in shutout loss to Brewers
Jesus Luzardo’s start on Monday began with the Miami Marlins’ left-handed pitcher giving up a solo home run to the Milwaukee Brewers’ Mark Canha.
It did not get any better, for Luzardo individually or the Marlins overall.
Luzardo’s labored through five innings as his command eluded him and the Marlins’ offense had no answers for Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff in a 12-0 shutout loss to begin a four-game series at Milwaukee’s American Family Field.
“We got our butt kicked today,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said.
The Marlins, who had won eight of 10 games entering the series, fall to 74-70 on the season. The Brewers improve to 80-63.
Here are three takeaways from the game.
What happened with Jesus Luzardo?
Luzardo for most of the season has been the Marlins’ more consistent starting pitchers and quietly been one of the better pitchers in the National League by some metrics.
But a lack of command doomed him on Monday against the Brewers.
Over five innings, Luzardo gave up six runs on 10 hits and four walks while striking out five.
The 10 hits allowed were a season high. The four walks tied a season high. The six earned runs were one shy of a season high.
“I just felt a little out of whack mechanically,” Luzardo said. “Maybe it was the time off, not getting off the mound in six days, but I mean I’ve just got to be better. There’s no excuse for it. I think it was four walks? It’s just inexcusable.”
He needed 23 pitches to get through the first inning, which began with the Canha home run and back-to-back walks to William Contreras and Carlos Santana before ending the threat with a strikeout and a double play.
He needed 29 pitches to get through a third inning in which the Brewers sent nine to the plate and scored three runs when six consecutive hitters safely reached base with one out to push Milwaukee’s lead to 4-0.
And then the final blow came with a 23-pitch fifth inning that ended with Milwaukee scoring two more runs.
Eight of the 10 hits Luzardo allowed were around the heart of the plate, including three middle-middle four-seam fastballs.
“They had a good approach,” Luzardo said. “They took a lot of good at-bats. I feel like they grinding me out for the most part. They kind of just singled me to death for the most part. I felt like a lot of weak contact went for hits at times and then they come through with a home run or a double, whatever it might be, to push them in. Just put guys on and then they kind of waited for me to come in the zone.”
Daniel Castano pitched the next two innings, giving up five runs in a 10-batter sixth inning before throwing a scoreless seventh.
Catcher Jacob Stallings pitched the eighth inning and gave up a run.
Nothing against Woodruff
The Marlins managed just six hits and one walk against Woodruff, who threw his first career shutout and second career complete game.
Four of Miami’s six hits — all singles — came with two outs.
Woodruff struck out seven and threw 106 pitches, 77 of which landed for strikes. He did most of his damage with his four-seam fastball, which he threw 48 times and got eight whiffs on 26 swings.
“When he’s on, it’s either a foul ball or a swing-and-miss pitch, flyball pitch” Marlins designated hitter Josh Bell said. “It’s hard to square it up, truly. That coupled with his secondary pitches working well and a lot of first-pitch strikes, to have a game like that, you have to tip your cap.”
Bell drew Miami’s lone walk against Woodruff in the sixth inning following a Luis Arraez single to put runners on first and second with no outs and set up the Marlins’ best chance to put together a rally with the team down 6-0 at that point. Instead, Jake Burger struck out and Bell found himself caught in a rundown after a Jazz Chisholm Jr. flyout that resulted in an inning-ending double play.
“I was hoping to maybe spark something,” Bell said, “but down that many runs, just dumb on my part.”
Monday marked the 12th time the Marlins have been shutout this season, including the sixth time since the All-Star Break.
Where things stand in the playoff race
The Marlins’ loss coupled with the Arizona Diamondback’s win over the New York Mets has Miami one-and-a-half games back of the National League’s third and final wild card spot.
Miami has 18 games left in the regular season: Six more with the Brewers (three in this series and three in Miami), three with the Atlanta Braves, six with the New York Mets (three at home, three on the road) and three with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
