MIAMI _ For the first time since visiting San Diego last month, the Miami Marlins won a series Sunday.
The Marlins topped the Angels, 9-2, behind another big day from rookie shortstop J.T. Riddle to take two of three from Los Angeles. This is Miami's first series win in their last 11, with nine losses and two two-game splits filling the past month-plus.
The win Sunday came via a well-rounded effort, the likes of which have been difficult to come by for the Marlins during series loss after series loss. Right-hander Jose Urena was good enough for five innings, and the bullpen followed with a shutdown effort. And every starting position player except Christian Colon (walk, sacrifice bunt) had a hit.
None were bigger than Riddle's. He went 2 for 4 with a two-run homer and RBI double. In his past dozen games, Riddle is hitting .333 (15 for 45) with eight extra-base hits and nine RBIs.
The Marlins' game-changing offensive inning came in the fifth, but they scored critical runs before and after.
In the fifth, Ichiro Suzuki's pinch-hit single scored Derek Dietrich to tie the game. Riddle followed on the very next pitch his home run over the wall in right for a Marlins lead, which turned into a permanent one.
Giancarlo Stanton opened the scoring with a solo shot in the first. In the sixth, the Marlins tacked on runs via Tyler Moore's pinch-hit sacrifice fly and Riddle's RBI double. Christian Yelich's 11-pitch, bases-loaded walk and Marcell Ozuna's single in the eighth scored three more.
In five innings, Urena showed why he is simultaneously tantalizing and frustrating.
In his first three innings, Urena largely cruised, throwing 43 pitches (30 strikes) while allowing two hits and working around his own throwing error. He struck out the side in the first, including getting Mike Trout to swing through a full-count slider, looking every bit worthy of the rotation spot he now holds indefinitely.
That's why the Marlins haven't given up him yet.
But in his final two innings, Urena struggled, throwing 60 pitches (28 strikes) while allowing two runs on one hit and six walks. The fourth in particular was an issue for Urena. He walked Kole Calhoun, then Martin Maldonado crushed a two-run homer to left. Urena walked three more batters to load the bases. He escaped only when a line drive from Andrelton Simmons found Marcell Ozuna's glove in left.
That's why the Marlins stuck Urena in the bullpen to start the season.
Urena struck out a career-high seven.
Brad Ziegler induced a ground-ball double play off the bat of Nolan Fontana in a scoreless top of the sixth. At 13 pitches, Ziegler hasn't tossed a more efficient inning since April 23.
That started an effective afternoon for the bullpen. David Phelps, Nick Wittgren and A.J. Ramos each added a scoreless inning.
