Dodgers 4, Marlins 1
MIAMI -- Zack Greinke pitched eight strong innings, leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night at Marlins Park.
On a night when NBA superstar LeBron James was in attendance and Dodgers phenom Yasiel Puig was quiet -- he is 1-for-12 in the series so far -- Greinke stole the headlines.
Greinke (12-3) allowed one run on six hits and no walks while striking out seven. His only mistake was a first-inning home run ball to Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton.
Becoming the third 12-game winner on the Dodgers' staff, joining Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu, Greinke was stellar throughout. He struck out all three batters he faced in the fifth -- although it came against the Marlins' Nos. 8-9-1 hitters in the batting order.
The Dodgers won for the second night in a row, taking a 2-1 advantage into Thursday's series finale.
Besides Stanton, no other Marlins base-runner got past second base.
Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth and picked up his 21st save of the season, his 14th in a row. The final out came on a standout grab in center field by Andre Ethier, who caught Adeiny Hechavarria's blast while crashing into the wall.
Marlins starter Nathan Eovaldi (2-4), who allowed career highs in hits (12) and runs (11) in his previous start, Friday against the Giants, was much better Wednesday, even though he took the loss. He went seven innings, allowing six hits, two walk and three runs (two earned).
The Marlins scored a first-inning run for the second straight night. This time, it came on Stanton's 16th homer of the season, a 413-foot blast to left.
The Dodgers struck back for three runs in the fourth, a rally aided by two Marlins miscues.
Third baseman Ed Lucas' throwing error started the inning, and after a walk, Hanley Ramirez stroked a run-scoring double to left-center. Ethier's single made it 2-1, and Ramirez scored on a throwing error by Eovaldi, who tried a pick-off play at first.
The Dodgers added an insurance run in the eighth. Hanley Ramirez singled off Ryan Webb, stole second, advanced to third on A.J. Ellis' sacrifice bunt and scored on Jerry Hairston's sacrifice fly.
NOTES: James sat in the first row behind home plate. When his face was shown on the stadium's big screen, the fans erupted for the largest roar of the night at Marlins Park. ... Miami rookie All-Star RHP Jose Fernandez has pitched a team-high 145 2/3 innings. The Marlins plan to shut him down for the year at around 170 innings. That means he has about four starts left. The Marlins don't plan on using him out of the bullpen or going to a six-man rotation, either of which would keep him pitching deeper into September. However, they have not ruled out skipping him for a start. ... Puig got to the park early Wednesday, one day after arriving 30 minutes late. Manager Don Mattingly said he already had made out Tuesday's lineup card -- without a slumping Puig in it -- before the young star showed up tardy. Puig wound up coming off the bench Tuesday and hitting a homer.
