I swear, these night games are going to be the death of me. Or at the very least, I’m gonna lose my job.

Rick VandenHurk pitched six strong innings to earn his first win in more than a year, leading the Florida Marlins to a 3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday night.

VandenHurk (1-0), making his first start since last July, allowed two runs and five hits, struck out four and walked two. He picked up his first victory since he pitched five innings in a 4-0 victory over Atlanta on June 22, 2008.

Hanley Ramirez homered for the Marlins, who put together a two-run rally in the seventh to snap a three-game skid. Leo Nunez pitched the ninth for his fifth save in eight chances to complete the combined five-hitter.

Vandenhurk looked great up until the 6th, when he gave up the back to back shots, though there were some hard hit balls. As always has been the case with him, he loses control as the game goes on. Still, nice to pick up a win, even if we tried as hard as we could to lose it.
In honor of the first victory in the history of this blog, I have the immense pleasure of introducing our Player of the Game award, known by it’s official name as the Craig Counsell Hero of the Game Award, the much prettier, more datable version of the Scott Olsen Mugshot Memorial Award.

This isn’t a game that had a lot of deserving nominees, so I’m going to go with the guy who went 0-4 but who nonetheless saved the game with a runner on 3rd in the 8th inning by picking Emilio Bonifacio’s throw in the dirt.

Hip Hip

JORGE!

Also, I’d like to start doing a little run down of the Marlins minor league affiliates various exploits, so here’s a little rundown of the team’s games tonight as well as the performances of notable prospects (Courtesy of Tealandblack.net):

GCL Marlins: DNP

Jamestown Jammers lost, 8-7
-Chase Austin (rd. 5): 2-5, run scored, 2 Ks (.279)
-Dustin Dickerson (rd. 6): 1-3, run scored, 1 BB (.316)

Greensboro Grasshoppers lost, 5-1
-Mattison: 2-4, run scored, 1 K (.240)
-Galloway: 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 K (.282)
-Smolinski: 1-3, (.260)
-Skipworth down to .199
-Koehler: 6 IP, 5 ER, 1 BB, 3 K (3.09 ERA)
-Jennings: 1 IP, 3 K (2.85 ERA)

Jupiter Hammerheads lost 2-1 in 10 innings
-Burns: 2-5, 2 doubles, 1 K (.263)
-Mense: 2-4, 1 R (.232)
-Valentin: 1-2, 1 Double, 1 RBI, 2 BB (.244)
-Allison: 8.1 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K (3.71)
-Harvey: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 1 K (3.33)

Jacksonville was idle

New Orleans Zyphers lost, 3-1
-Maybin: 1-4 with a double, (.343)
-Lindsey: 1-2, 1 R, 2 BBs (.260)
-Sanchez: 0-4 (.284)
-De Aza: 2-4, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 K (.289)
-Collazo: 7 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (3.54)
-Mobley: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K (3.68)

Also have to post up this picture from the Times-Picayune of  Oklahoma RedHawks center fielder Julio Borbon absolutely robbing Gaby Sanchez of a home run tonight.

And speaking of the minors, starting pitcher Andrew Miller has been sent to AAA New Orleans. He was absolutely dreadful in his last few starts and seems to have lost the consistency his new delivery had brought him.

In other news, looks like Rick VandenHurk will slide into Sean West’s starter spot. VandenHurk started tonight for Triple-A New Orleans, but he exited after three shutout innings of one-hit ball. That abbreviated outing enables him to start Monday’s series opener at San Diego.

The interesting question is who the Marlins send down? They currently have eight relievers. My guess would be Brian Sanches even though he’s done nothing to merit a demotion. The bullpen has been fantastic lately, allowing just two earn runs over its last 23 1/3 innings for a 0.77 ERA.

-Juan C Rodriguez, Sun Sentinel

RVH has been terrific in AAA this year, so he could really provide a spark.