Marlins use defense, pitching to stifle Giants

Outfielders Heriberto Hernandez and Dane Myers made run-saving catches against the outfield fence, Edward Cabrera outdueled previously unbeaten Robbie Ray and the Miami Marlins held off the visiting San Francisco Giants for a 1-0 victory Saturday afternoon.

Javier Sanoja delivered the game's only run with a two-out single in the second and relievers Ronny Henriquez, Anthony Bender and Calvin Faucher teamed with Cabrera on an eight-hit shutout, allowing the Marlins to successfully rebound from a 2-0 defeat in Friday's series opener.

Cabrera (2-1) allowed six hits and three walks over 5 2/3 innings, but kept the Giants hitless with runners in scoring position before turning the ball over to Henriquez with two outs and runners at first and second in the sixth. Henriquez struck out Tyler Fitzgerald to retain the 1-0 lead.

Cabrera struck out five.

Hernandez aided his starting pitcher's cause two innings earlier when he reached over the left-field fence to take a potential two-run homer away from Fitzgerald.

The Marlins gave Cabrera an early lead when Ray (7-1) walked Myers and Nick Fortes with two outs in the second. Sanoja then singled to center, plating Myers with a run that stood up.

Ray, who brought a 7-0 record and 13-game unbeaten streak dating back to last season into the contest, was the hard-luck loser after allowing just two hits in seven innings. He walked three and struck out nine.

Cabrera also benefitted from catcher Fortes nailing Fitzgerald trying to steal in the second, and from Sanoja, playing center field at the time, gunning down Matt Chapman trying to stretch an inning-opening single into a double in the fourth.

The Giants nearly broke through against Henriquez in the seventh when, with two out and a runner aboard, Jung Hoo Lee launched a shot seemingly destined to at least hit the center field fence. But Myers beat the ball to the padding, securing a running, jumping catch just before crashing into the barrier.

Bender worked out of a two-on jam to retain the shutout in the eighth, before Faucher threw a one-hit ninth for his fourth save.

Lee, Chapman and Heliot Ramos had two hits apiece for the Giants, who lost for the fifth time in eight games on a trip that ends Sunday. San Francisco, which went without an extra-base hit, was limited to three or fewer runs for the seventh straight contest.

--Field Level Media