--RF Jeremy Hermida and SS Hanley Ramirez connected for back-to-back home runs in the first inning Monday -- the fifth time this year the Marlins have gone back to back. 2B Dan Uggla also homered, giving the Marlins 56, the most of any team in the NL. --LHP Scott Olsen plans to throw his regular bullpen session Tuesday and make his next start Friday despite concerns about his velocity not topping 88 mph on Sunday. Olsen usually hits the mid-90s with his fastball, which was about 10 ticks slower on Sunday.
He said his arm and shoulder feel fine. "That's the thing, I don't feel anything and I still can't throw hard. I reach back and throw and it's not there right now. Maybe it'll come back. Hopefully it comes back."
--The Marlins went into Monday batting .299 (70-for-234) with 12 home runs and 49 runs scored during their seven-game winning streak, but they'll face a big test Tuesday against the National League's ERA leader. Reds RHP Edinson Volquez (5-1, 1.06) hasn't allowed more than one earned run in any of his seven starts this year. Acquired from the Texas Rangers in December for outfielder Josh Hamilton, he has never faced the Marlins.
"It'll be fun," said Marlins 2B Dan Uggla. "You always want to face the best because that kind of tells you how good you are. He's been pitching pretty well."
--RHP Lee Gardner, on the disabled list since April 18 with a sore right elbow, has started a light tossing program.
--1B Mike Jacobs, who hasn't started since May 7 because of a tight left quad muscle, pinch hit in the seventh and was intentionally walked. LHP Scott Olsen pinch ran.
BY THE NUMBERS 212 -- Games (through Sunday) the Marlins have played without a starter throwing a complete game. LHP Scott Olsen came within one strike of going all the way Tuesday against the Brewers before he walked Joe Dillon with two on and two out in the ninth. Florida won 3-0 after Kevin Gregg threw one pitch to get Bill Hall on a fly out.
QUOTE TO NOTE "It means they're going to have a really, really, really good player for a long time."-- 2B Dan Uggla on SS Hanley Ramirez, who is close to signing a six-year $70-milion extension.
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it only took more than three quarters of the season but the florida Marlins fair weather fans are starting to show up to home games. just like the years they made there world series runs the front running fans of south beach are starting to show up now that the fish are in the hunt. i myself being a season ticket holder to the
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Former Marlin Jeff Conine never has endured a physical challenge as draining, demanding or difficult as the one that awaits. Playing 2,024 games in 17 major-league seasons tested him, but not like the Ford Ironman World Championship will in Kona, Hawaii, on Saturday.
