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As Marlins audition future pieces, Jose Urena getting a bigger look
MIAMI -- Twenty games below .500 and sellers at the trade deadline, auditions have officially started for the Miami Marlins in 2016 and beyond.
In his return to the majors and the rotation, rookie right-hander Jose Urena went just five innings in a 5-3 loss to the San Diego Padres on Saturday night.
Urena allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits with two strikeouts over 83 pitches (58 strikes).
"They're big," manager Dan Jennings said. "We're trying to win games right now. This is an audition for those guys to showcase what they can do for next year to go along with this great core that we have. The opportunity is there for these guys to take advantage of it. That's going to be huge for them."
It took Urena 22 pitches to finish off the first, handing the Padres an early 1-0 lead on Justin Upton's sacrifice fly to center. San Diego made hard contact in each at-bat but got only one run to show for it.
The 23-year-old righty bounced back with a perfect 12-pitch second, but a four-run third broke the game open.
After striking out Odrisamer Despaigne, Urena gave up a single to Will Venable and an RBI triple to Yangervis Solarte. Matt Kemp produced a warning-track sacrifice fly to left before Upton and Yonder Alonso knocked back-to-back singles. Derek Norris capped the scoring with a two-run double.
"Early it was his tempo a little bit," Jennings said. "He couldn't seem to find his rhythm to get in the strike zone That third inning he just missed location too much and they were able to eliminate other pitches and sit fastball on him and they did their damage."
Added Urena: "I was trying to get them with the slider. I know they were sitting on the changeup for a bit, so I was trying to come with the slider and didn't have it."
Urena tossed a perfect fourth and worked around a one-out single before Miami pulled him for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the fifth, as Donovan Solano collected a two-out RBI single.
He replaced right-hander Mat Latos, who was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier in the week, in the rotation for his eight start -- first since June 28. When Latos came off the disabled list in late June, Miami sent Urena back to the Zephyrs.
Over seven big-league starts during his second stint with the club, he posted a 2.96 ERA, tossing at least six innings in each of the first four and allowing three runs or less in each. As Jennings put it, he did nothing to leave the rotation. But the veteran arm was healthy and ready to rejoin the ballclub.
After being optioned to the Zephyrs, Urena went 2-1 with a 4.45 ERA in five starts. Over 30 1/3 innings, he surrendered 15 earned runs. In his first outing, however he pitched his first nine-inning complete game shutout.
"I would say that's the biggest thing I'm focusing on is carrying what I'm doing in New Orleans to the majors," Urena said. "It's a different ballgame here. That's the biggest thing is carrying what you do in Triple-A and bring it here. Whatever you do well in Triple-A bring it to the majors. The opportunity's there again for me, and I just have to go out there and do my best and make sure I'm taking advantage of those opportunities."
You can follow Christina De Nicola on Twitter @CDeNicola13 or email her at cdenicola13@gmail.com.
