Freddie Freeman was in pursuit of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ doubles record and got some unexpected help from a Marlins Park employee who was there Thursday with a brain cramp.
In the sixth inning, the first baseman hit a weak grounder that a Miami Marlins outfielder would recover near the right field divider. Thinking the ball was out of play, the man on the sidelines picked it up and immediately threw it into the crowd so it could serve as a souvenir.
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Freeman didn’t charge that much. He was credited with an automatic double, his 52nd of the year, tying Johnny Frederick’s record set in 1929. In addition, Mookie Betts was able to cross the plate and increase the score to 4-0.
Despite this error, the Marlins were never in the game and were defeated 10 to 0. Ryan Pepiot (2-0), remembered earlier in the day as the starter for this meeting, completely silenced the Marlins’ hitters.
In seven innings, this rookie shooter allowed just one hit and kept his chances of a perfect game at bat until the sixth inning. The 26-year-old knocked out three opponents.
Chris Taylor had a great offensive game with five RBIs. He hit the mark with a single, a double and a home run.
It could be a setback for Miami’s playoff run (72-68). The Cincinnati Reds (73-69) are now tied with them in the National League draft standings.
Mariners run away from Jays
On the St. Petersburg side, the Seattle Mariners defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 and gained some breathing room in the table.
The Washington State team has a 79-63 record, putting it within touching distance of the Toronto Blue Jays (77-63), who made the American League playoffs this week.
As the score shows, it wasn’t a great offensive game for either side. Mike Ford scored the only run in the second inning with a single. The Mariners only scored five times and the Rays were no better with four hits.
This result is largely due to the performance of the starting pitchers. Luis Castillo (12-7) struck out eight opponents in six innings. Tampa Bay relied on Zack Littel (3-5) for eight innings, who played solidly despite the setback.