Marlins rookie Justin Nicolino feeling like he belongs in big leagues
MIAMI -- David Ortiz and Pablo Sandoval are imposing figures to any pitcher, let alone a rookie making just his third big-league start.
Miami Marlins prospect Justin Nicolino felt no different in Tuesday's start against the Boston Red Sox, but believes he belongs on the same field as those superstars.
"Definitely," Nicolino said. "Everything that I've done since I started my pro career I feel prepared me for these moments. To face guys like David Ortiz and Sandoval growing up watching them was really cool, but actually get to face them and see them in the batter's box was pretty cool, too."
In his return to the majors, the Red Sox chased Nicolino following Rusney Castillo's two-out RBI triple in the sixth. After a scoring change, he got charged with four earned runs on nine hits with one walk, one wild pitch and no strikeouts. Of his 97 pitches, 58 went for strikes.
Miami's bullpen retired the game's final 13 batters as the offense rallied for a 5-4 walk-off win in the 10th thanks to Justin Bour's RBI single.
The 23-year-old left-hander recorded two clean innings in the second and fourth. Ground-ball double plays in the first and third avoided extra damage.
Boston scored a run in the third on Mookie Bett's RBI single, driving in Jackie Bradley, who led off with a triple. The Red Sox added another in the fifth when Bradley singled with one out, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and came home on Bett's RBI double. Xander Bogaerts scored on Nicolino's wild pitch before Castillo's extra-base hit.
Prior to being sent back to Triple-A New Orleans, Nicolino tossed seven scoreless, four-hit innings with two walks and two strikeouts in Cincinnati against the Reds on June 20 in his debut. Six days later he lasted just four frames, giving up five runs on six hits with one walk and two strikeouts to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
With ace Jose Fernandez on the disabled list, Nicolino received the call-up. He joins rookie Adam Conley -- who starts on Wednesday -- in the rotation. Jose Urena, another rookie, went on the DL this past weekend. Righties Kyle Barraclough and Kendry Flores -- both rookies -- came in relief on Tuesday. This young blood on the pitching staff is auditioning for roles in 2016 and beyond.
"I think there was a lot of jitters tonight just coming back for that start," Nicolino said. "I just think I made some pitches when I needed to and then when I needed to bear down I elevated a few pitches. You got to look at it as a great team win. Guys picked me up right there. That's all you can ask for."
Nicolino, who ranked fifth in the Pacific Coast League with a 3.52 ERA, impressed manager Dan Jennings with the way he navigated around the nine hits, particularly by forcing 10 ground balls.
Without overpowering stuff -- his fastball ranges in the high 80s-low 90s, Nicolino's gameplan consists of mixing pitches and locating them against an aggressive lineup. Though he didn't strike out a batter, he only walked one. Nicolino got ahead of seven of the first nine hitters.
"First and foremost the way he mixed his pitches," Jennings said. "I thought he utilized his pitches. I think he could use the changeup a bit little more, and he will grow to that. He spotted his fastball and he mixed so well all night that they really couldn't get timing off of him. Even though he gave up nine hits when he needed to execute a pitch he was able to do that. That's a good sign of a young pitcher. There are some guys in that lineup that if you're intimidated they can intimidate you, and he went at them. I thought it was outstanding the way he handled himself."
You can follow Christina De Nicola on Twitter @CDeNicola13 or email her at cdenicola13@gmail.com.
