MIAMI _ For the Miami Marlins in the last week, their chances of victory have relied on which version of Pablo Lopez appears.
At times, Lopez has looked unhittable, like he belongs in the big leagues, buzzing through major-league lineups with ease and racking up 1-2-3 innings. Other times, Lopez has looked like the pitcher who hadn't pitched above High-A entering this season, spraying hits around the yard, and laboring through innings that dragged on.
On Tuesday night, during the Marlins' 8-4 loss to the Brewers at Marlins Park, Miami and 5,624 fans received both sides of Lopez.
Through the first two innings, Lopez resembled a 22-year-old Venezuelan right-hander facing the best team in the National League. Milwaukee scored a run in the first off Lopez, running his pitch count up to 25 in the inning. In the second, eight Brewers came to the plate, including two-run singles by Christian Yelich and Tyler Saladino.
Yelich _ the former Marlins outfielder traded away over the winter _ also added a pair of doubles on his way to a 3-for-5 night with four RBIs. He went 2-for-5 on Monday night in his first game back at Marlins Park.
Lopez needed 51 pitches to escape the first two innings. He looked like the pitcher who allowed the Nationals to begin their nine-run comeback in Washington on Thursday night. Lopez struggled to find the form that made him the Marlins' best minor-league pitcher this season.
Then it clicked in the third. Lopez faced the minimum 12 batters in his final four innings, holding the Brewers hitless and keeping the Marlins within striking distance. Across his final four innings, Lopez needed just 52 pitches to navigate through the Brewers lineup.
In his third career start, Lopez completed six innings, giving up five runs on six hits while striking out five.
Lopez's recovery wasn't enough for the Marlins. The Miami offense scored three runs in the first two innings off Jhoulys Chacin, but also left five runners on base. Derek Dietrich, Brian Anderson and Garrett Cooper each had multi-hit nights for the Marlins.
