video thumbnail

FLA@CHC: Nolasco strikes out seven over seven frames

Marlins manager Jack McKeon believes the ceiling is high for right-hander Ricky Nolasco. Now the Florida skipper wants to see his pitcher reach for that potential on a regular basis.

Nolasco bounced back from a nightmare start his last time out, giving up two earned runs on three hits and three walks, while striking out four, over 5 2/3 innings in a win over the Nationals. It was a vast improvement over his worst start on July 20 against the Padres, when he lasted just a career-low 1 1/3 innings and gave up nine runs on nine hits.

The righty will try to take another step forward away from that disastrous outing on Sunday, when he faces off against Braves starter Tommy Hanson, who is 1-1 with a 7.27 ERA in three starts since the All-Star break.

"This is what you talk about, the consistency factor," McKeon said of Nolasco. "You've got to go out and do that four out of five times, and you've got to know what you're doing and how you've been successful. If something is not working for you that day, then you have to make an adjustment. This is what they're going to have to learn."

Hanson, meanwhile, is searching for his first-half form. The right-hander was 10-4 with a 2.44 ERA before the Midsummer Classic. Though he hasn't had the results in the season's second half, Hanson doesn't believe he's fallen far away from what made him successful early.

"I got a little out of sync my first start back," Hanson said. "Went to Colorado, tough place to pitch. I didn't have my greatest start my last start [against Pittsburgh on Tuesday, a 19-inning affair], but it wasn't a terrible start, either. I just had the first two innings where I gave up the three runs, then I threw four scoreless."

The Marlins could be the elixir Hanson needs to regain his first-half form. The righty is 5-1 with a 2.32 ERA in eight career starts against Florida.

"I know what teams I throw well against and what teams I don't," he said. "When you come up with a game plan, you try to stick to your strengths, but at the same time, you've got to recognize their weaknesses. I think my strengths and their weakness are similar. I think that's why I have success against some teams and why I don't have the best success against others."

Marlins: Streak means more than hits to Bonifacio
Emilio Bonifacio's 26-game hit streak, which ended on Friday, will go down as the second longest in Marlins history.

But the switch-hitting Bonifacio takes pride in the fact that he was able to contribute more than base knocks during the streak. He scored 27 runs and had an on-base percentage of .479, and the Marlins went 17-9 during that span. The speedy third baseman was also 19 of 21 in stolen base attempts during the streak.

"In the last month, when I get on base, a lot of things have happened," Bonifacio said.

Bonifacio quickly began a new streak on Saturday with a fourth-inning single.

Braves: Uggla keeps it going
Dan Uggla extended his hit streak to a Major League-best 21 games with a three-run homer in the third inning of Saturday's win over the Marlins.

• Braves veteran Chipper Jones isn't likely to make his return to the lineup in the series finale against the Marlins on Sunday.

But Jones, who is recovering from a strained right quadriceps he suffered on Monday, isn't expected to be sent to the disabled list.

"I think if we would have done that, we would have done that right off the bat," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

Worth noting
• Gaby Sanchez currently leads all National League first basemen with a .997 fielding percentage. He has committed just three errors and has not made one in his last 26 games. The Marlins have never had a first baseman lead the NL in fielding.

• The Braves are 12-4 at home in July.

MLB.com Comments