Bad Timing For This To End For Johnson and Marlins

Nothing last forever.

Josh Johnson hasn't lost a game in quite awhile, and the Marlins had a 15-game double-digit hitting streak heading to last night's game with the Astros.

One streak was going to end one way or another, and the guess was the double-digit hitting streak would end.

It turns out both streaks ended last night with Johnson earning a loss, and the Marlins ended their double-digit hitting streak at 15 as a result of a four-hit performance.

The Marlins also ended their streak of winning series after a 4-1 loss to the Astros last night at Minute Maid Park.

It was a rough night all around.

Johnson was due for a loss eventually. As great as he is, he is not going to win all of his starts, and during the course of the season, he is due to have several stinkers like any elite pitcher.

He had nothing with his pitches last night, and the Astros took advantage of it by belting couple of home runs (a two-run home run by Carlos Lee and a solo home run by Hunter Pence) in the fourth inning that gave the Astros a 3-1 lead.

Johnson was done in the fifth inning when he loaded the bases with one out. With the Marlins' canny ability to rally from deficits, Fredi Gonzalez did not want to let this game get away from the team so he put in a reliever.

Lee grounded out to a double play, and the inning was over.

If Johnson was going to lose a game, he might as well lose now rather than in September. September games matter more with the stakes getting higher for a playoff spot with no room for error.

The Marlins need him at his best in September for them to win the division or the wild-card so if he has a hiccup now, it's probably a good thing for him to lose now.

Johnson's loss no doubt raises the importance of a back end rotation.

If Johnson slumps, the Marlins could be in trouble because we have no idea if Chris Volstad, Sean West and Anibal Sanchez will perform a quality start in September.

Volstad and West demonstrated they can pitch a good game, but often times, they go through rough outings. There has to be consistency when it comes to performing well by those two.

Sanchez is coming off a shoulder surgery, and one wonders if he will be effective after a long layoff and surgery.

All eyes will be on Sanchez tonight as he starts in a three-game crucial set against the Braves at Turner Field.

As far as the double-digit hitting streak goes, it's an accomplishment the Marlins extended this as long as they could. It was something they did it for two games, but to do it at 15 is something to admire.

With the season Rodriguez is having this year, the Marlins's task of extending it to 16 was going to be tough, and that's what happened with the Marlins not hitting against Rodriguez.

The disappointing part of what took place in last night's game was the Marlins losing a series. It's hard to win series after series for a long stretch so the Marlins were going to lose one, but at this time of the year, losing series can put a team in a bind with competitors winning their series.

With what unfolded for the Marlins last night, it was not a good timing for this to take place.