The Los Angeles Dodgers have dropped the first three of a four-game series to the Miami Marlins in Don Mattingly’s return to Dodger Stadium.
The Marlins’ latest win, a 2-0 victory, handed the Dodgers their first shutout loss of the season, and their first three-game losing streak of 2016. Juan Nicolino dazzled for Miami, giving up just two hits and only allowing one runner to get into scoring position over 7.1 innings.
Nicolino was recalled from Triple-A New Orleans to make his first start of the season. Moreover, the outing was just the 13th of his young career. After retiring A.J. Ellis, Nicolino gave way to the Marlins bullpen.
Three Miami relief pitchers combined to walk the bases loaded. The final free pass was handed out by David Phelps, who asked home plate umpire Todd Tichenor where ball four to Joc Pederson missed, and was promptly ejected.
Mattingly came rushing out to Phelps’ defense and he too was tossed:
According to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com, Mattingly said both he and Phelps need to do a better job of keeping their emotions in check:
“I’m trying to keep [Phelps] in the game,” Mattingly said. “Obviously, it’s just an emotional time. He’s trying to get that out. Things are going on. Guys are fighting. Guys are emotional. They want to win. I have no problem with that, other than we’ve got to keep our emotions in check, and know when we have to stay in the game.”
The ejection was Mattingly’s second this season, with both coming in a six-day span. While neither Mattingly nor Phelps were around to see it, Jose Urena got the Marlins out of the jam by retiring Yasiel Puig and Adrian Gonzalez. Urena then retired the side in order in the ninth.
