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Projected Starting Pitchers

Carl Pavano & Darren Dreifort

 

10:10 Gametime-- Radio: WQAM TV: PAX

 

Ramp's prediction:3-2 Marlins...a pitcher's duel

Pavano's been on a pretty nice roll. Hopefully the Marlins bats can stay hot.

MARLINS PREVIEW

 

 

Credit: Joe Frisaro / MLB.com

 

 

05/14/2003 8:48 PM ET

Marlins turn to Pavano

Florida (19-23) at Los Angeles (21-20) 10:10 p.m. ET

By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com

 

 

SAN DIEGO -- All Dontrelle Willis needed was a little pep talk in the Marlins' 10-3 victory over the Padres Wednesday night.

 

Well, actually it was a no-holds-barred exchange with Marlins manager Jack McKeon visibly prodding at the 21-year-old who was two outs away from qualifying for his first Major League victory.

 

Ahead 7-3 at the time, McKeon made his message clear to Willis to settle down and throw strikes. The left-hander responded after falling behind 2-0 in the count to Rondell White by inducing a fly out and then he struck out Brian Buchanan on his 100th pitch on the night.

 

Despite not being at his best, Willis (1-0) pitched the necessary five innings to qualify for his first Major League victory.

 

"By doing that, he earned my respect," Willis said of McKeon challenging him on the mound. "I hope I earned his by going back out there."

 

The win enabled the Marlins to win two-of-three against the Padres, and head into their off-day on a high. The Marlins begin a three-game series with the Dodgers on Friday with Carl Pavano on the mound as the team looks to improve its 3-1 record under its new manager.

 

In the early innings, Willis said he was being too fine.

 

"I wasn't really trusting myself because they got some early hits," Willis said.

 

The Marlins used a pair of three-run homers by Brian Banks and Mike Lowell to take a 6-3 lead. Derrek Lee added a solo shot.

 

A year ago, the Marlins were 3-3 versus the Dodgers, dropping two of three in Los Angeles. At Dodger Stadium, the Marlins are 18-27 in their history.

 

 

Pitching matchup:

 

• LA: RHP Darren Dreifort
   
  
• 2003 record: 2-3, 3.95
   
  
• 2002 vs. FLA: didn't face Marlins
   
  
• Lifetime vs. FLA: 2-3, 3.74
  

• FLA: RHP Carl Pavano
   
  
• 2003 record: 3-4, 4.14
   
  
• 2002 vs LA: 1-0, 1.23
   
  
• Lifetime vs. LA: 4-1, 3.26
  

 

 

Player to watch:

 

Pavano has appeared in six games vs. the Dodgers and is 4-1 lifetime. The right-hander won his last start, giving up two runs in seven innings in a win over the Rockies. Pavano did give up 12 hits but he didn't walk a batter.

 

 

Quotable:

 

"I told you I would go down swinging." -- Reliever Tim Spooneybarger, who couldn't help but laugh at himself after he literally fell down while taking a mighty cut on strike three on a fastball thrown by Mike Matthews.

 

 

On television:

 

• Marlins station: PAX
   
  
• Dodgers station: FSN2
  

 

 

On radio:

 

• Marlins station: Sports radio/WQAM (560 AM); WQBA (1140 AM) Spanish
   
  
• Dodgers station: KFWB
  

 

 

Quick hits:

 

Mike Lowell, who has three home runs in his last two games, is 3-for-8 against Dreifort with a home run. ... Luis Castillo, who didn't play Wednesday, is batting .331 and is 4-for-8 on the road trip. ... Juan Pierre is 3-for-7 against Driefort.

 

 

On deck:

 

• Friday at Dodgers, 10:10 p.m
   
  
• Saturday at Dodgers, 10:10 p.m
   
  
• Sunday at Dodgers, 4:10 p.m
   
  
• Monday, OFF DAY
   
  
• Tuesday at Montreal, 7:05 p.m
   
  
• Wednesday at Montreal, 7:05 p.m
   
  
• Thursday at Montreal, 7:05 p.m
  

 

 

Credit: Joe Frisaro / MLB.com

8-1 Marlins... I am a bold one... :shifty

[color="teal"][b]FLORIDA[/b][/color]                                 [color="blue"][b]LOS ANGELES[/b][/color]                           



AVG  HR  RBI                            AVG  HR  RBI   



Juan Pierre CF          .280   0   13   Dave Roberts CF         .288   1    7   



Luis Castillo 2B        .331   2    9   Paul Lo Duca C          .281   1   11   



Mike Lowell 3B          .283  13   35   Shawn Green RF          .269   5   20   



Derrek Lee 1B           .245   8   22   Fred Mcgriff 1B         .273   6   21   



Ivan Rodriguez C        .256   6   23   Brian Jordan LF         .282   3   17   



Juan Encarnacion RF     .292   5   22   Adrian Beltre 3B        .199   4   11   



Todd Hollandsworth LF   .297   2    9   Alex Cora 2B            .281   0    8   



Alex Gonzalez SS        .320   8   27   Cesar Izturis SS        .259   0   12   



Carl Pavano RHP         .143   0    1   Darren Dreifort RHP     .100   0    0   



(3-4, 4.14)                             (2-3, 3.95)

 

out of everyone there.. DLee and Pudge are the worst.. wait till they heat up in June! (based on Career stats)

 

 

:mischief2

1st inning goes by.. no damage done.. Pudge grounded out to the pitcher with runners on 1st and 3rd with 2 outs..

At the end of an inning.. 0-0

Heading to the Bottom of the 2nd.. 0-0

At the end of 2... it's 0-0

DLee K's looking with Pierre at 3rd... 0-0 heading to the Bottom of the 3rd

pierre gets to 3rd with 0 out and can't score....sigh

pierre gets to 3rd with 0 out and can't score....sigh

Dreifort made a great pitch to Castillo for the k

 

Lowell hit it hard but right at Beltre

 

and DLee flat out sucks

Pitchers duel in LA :mischief2

0-0 after 4

nice clutch base hit by castillo, 1-0.

Castillo with a RBI Single.. 1-0 Marlins, Top 5th..

thatta boy Luis!

 

1-0 bottom 5th

good news:

Phillies lose 4-2

Braves down 4-3

Expos tied 1-1

LETS GO FISH!

 

Gotta like the look of the East Division games thus far.

dammit....0-2 pitch to Cora and it hits him.....2 on, 1 out for Cesar Izturis

 

Pitch-by-Pitch:

 

1-0

 

1-1 now

 

1-2 count....

 

2-2

 

flies out to Pierre.....no advancement

 

2 outs

Excellent

Darren Dreifort is up with 2 on and 2 out.......

 

Pitch-by-Pitch:

 

0-1 count

 

1-1 now..

 

1-2 fouled out of play.....

 

2-2...just outside

 

STRIKE 3 LOOOOOOOOKING!!!

1-0 after 5

 

Pavano's pitch count: 74

ERA is down to: 3.76

Sinking Fastball at the knees called for strike 3.. good job Pavano :mischief