NL Worst of the Night: Marlins' Ricky Nolasco Ravaged by Red Sox for 9 Runs

As has been the case throughout interleague play this season, several National League pitchers were battered by American League lineups Wednesday night. 

The Cubs' Scott Maine and Giants' Shane Loux were each pounded for three runs in one inning of relief. Bronson Arroyo gave up five runs and eight hits (two of them home runs) in four innings for the Reds. The Rockies' woes continued, courtesy of Rafael Betancourt getting torched for two runs and three hits in two-thirds of an inning. 

And in a near-worst of the night performance, Diamondbacks reliever Mike Zagurski allowed four runs, three hits and two walks while recording only two outs. But at least the D-Backs had a 14-6 lead when Zagurski came in for the eighth inning. So his four-run meltdown didn't cause Arizona a ballgame.

However, Ricky Nolasco was a different story for the Miami Marlins on Wednesday. Facing the Boston Red Sox, Nolasco was stomped for nine runs and nine hits in just 3.1 innings of work. The run and hit totals were the highest he'd allowed all season. And his one strikeout tied the fewest he'd accumulated in 14 starts this year. 

Nolasco had actually pitched better on the road in six starts away from Marlins Park this season. But Fenway Park was obviously an unfriendly setting. Nolasco first served up a three-run homer to Mike Aviles with two outs in the inning. That wiped out a 2-0 Marlins lead. 

One inning later, Nolasco allowed singles to the first two batters of the inning. After getting a ground out, Nolasco then intentionally walked David Ortiz to load the bases and presumably set up a force-out play. However, that strategy didn't work as Nolasco grooved a fastball down the middle that Cody Ross drilled for a three-run double.

(In Nolasco's defense, Logan Morrison played the ball terribly off the left field wall. Watch the video here.)

In the fourth inning, Nolasco gave up singles to three of the first four batters the Red Sox sent to the plate. The last of those base hits drove in another run and mercifully ended Nolasco's night. Unfortunately for his ERA, the runners Nolasco left on base when he left the game came around to score when Chris Hatcher teed up a grand slam to Ortiz.

The Marlins went on to lose 15-5, prompting Ozzie Guillen to tell reporters (jokingly?) that seven beers and a sleeping pill would help him cope and move on to the next game. No word on what sort of postgame therapy Nolasco employed.

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