March 3, 2010
JUPITER, Fla. – The 10th-ranked University of Miami baseball team dropped its exhibition game against the Florida Marlins Wednesday afternoon, falling 19-3 at Roger Dean Stadium. Hanley Ramirez hit a three-run first inning homer and starter Ricky Nolasco tossed two shutout innings to lead the Marlins to victory.
David Villasuso, Chris Pelaez and Harold Martinez all finished with two hits on the afternoon for the `Canes. Villasuso hit a deep solo homer to left, Pelaez drove a ball off the centerfield wall and Martinez finished with a pair of singles. Villasuso drove in two runs, while Pelaez had UM’s other RBI.
UM starter Jerad Grundy allowed six runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings to suffer the loss. Eric Whaley tossed well in relief of Grundy, allowing just one earned run on two hits while striking out two in 2 1/3 innings. David Gutierrez also pitched well, striking out three of the five batters he faced in 1 1/3 scoreless innings of work late in the game.
Nolasco allowed just one hit while striking out two in two innings of work to earn the win for the Marlins. Ramirez finished 2-for-2 with three RBI and Dan Uggla also had a pair of hits for the Marlins.
The Marlins jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after one. Chris Coghlan walked and Cameron Maybin reached on a bunt single to lead off the inning, before Ramirez’s three-run blast to left cleared the bases.
A walk and back-to-back-to-back singles to left by Ramirez, Jorge Cantu and Uggla brought home the Marlins’ fourth and fifth runs of the game in the third. Two batters later, a wild pitch scored Cantu from third to put Florida up 6-0 after three.
The Hurricanes got on the board in the top of the fourth with a pair of runs. After a Yasmani Grandal single, Pelaez doubled off the wall in center to bring Grandal around for UM’s first run. Pelaez was then immediately followed by Villasuso, who singled to left to bring the `Canes within four.
In the bottom of the fourth, Brian Barden hit a double to right to score Brett Carroll – who had just tripled to left-center – for the the Marlins’ seventh run.
Villasuso’s homer off right-hander Kris Harvey gave UM its third run of the game in the sixth.
The Marlins pulled away in the bottom of the sixth however, scoring six runs before adding another six in the eighth to close the scoring at 19-3.
The `Canes will now return to Alex Rodriguez Park this upcoming weekend and play host to in-state rival Florida, March 5-7. Game one of the series is slated for Friday night at 7 p.m. For tickets, call 1-800-GO-CANES or visit www.hurricanesports.com.