Trading Nolasco, among the three pitchers that convinced Florida to part with
center fielder Pierre to the Cubs on Dec. 7, 2005, was the move that worried
Cubs officials the most. Sergio Mitre and Renyel Pinto, the other two pitchers
in the deal, didn't have the same upside in their view.
Nolasco isn't haunting the Cubs as much as Marlins superstar Dontrelle Willis
yet, but he has a good start on being another thorn in their side after beating
the Cubs twice this season. In addition to his strong start in Monday's 9-1
victory, Nolasco bagged the win April 26 at Wrigley Field against the Cubs when
he struck out four batters in his two innings of relief.
MARLINS
9
CUBS
1
Cubs rookie starter Sean Marshall, in contrast, was no match for Nolasco in
this game. Nolasco even homered off him for his first major-league hit in just
his second start of the season. Nolasco later added a RBI single.
That gives him two RBI for the year, the same as Pierre.
"The home run was his first hit, geez,'' manager Dusty Baker said in
despair.
Baker will feel worse when he hears that Nolasco said he hadn't homered since
high school.
"A long time ago,'' Nolasco said.
Marshall walked four Marlins and gave up seven runs on seven hits. He lasted
just 3-1/3 innings, similar to his loss May 11 in San Francisco. The Giants
knocked him out in 3-2/3 innings, scoring nine runs on nine hits and five walks.
Marshall has walked 12 men in his last 152/3 innings.
"I feel badly for the guys in the bullpen,'' Baker said. "They're
carrying most of the load. Most of the innings should belong to the starters. We
got to get our starting pitching right.
"We got behind early. That's tough. [Nolasco] was effectively wild early
and settled down with the big lead. It's frustrating when you play a good game
like [Sunday] and then a bad game like today. Like I've said a hundred times, it
starts with starting pitching. Boy, it was a bad night.''
Nolasco is humble, but he couldn't hide the smile when asked if beating his
old team was especially satisfying.
"Maybe just a little bit,'' he said.
Aramis Ramirez, who homered in the seventh, grounded into double plays in the
second and fifth innings. Pierre doubled and singled.
Baker hoped that a return to his former stomping grounds would rejuvenate
Pierre.
"He loves this surface because [the grass] is a lot shorter than ours,''
Baker said. "Plus, it's hot and he's used to playing in heat and still
lives here. All those add to Juan feeling very comfortable here.''
The Cubs' comfort level continues to be about the same as a bed of nails.
