Major League Baseball

Haren gives up 3 runs, Marlins lose to Double-A affiliate

Published Apr. 4, 2015 7:05 p.m. ET

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) Marlins starter Dan Haren gave up three runs on three hits in two innings and Miami lost its final spring training game Saturday, 14-8 to Double-A affiliate Jacksonville.

Haren, set to be the Marlins' No. 4 starter, allowed a two-run homer to Ryan Rieger and two doubles in the second inning.

Haren was lifted in the third inning for reliever Trevor Williams, who is slated to start the season with the Suns.

Giancarlo Stanton hit an RBI double and scored a run in the first for Miami. He walked in the third and was replaced.

Martin Prado and Dee Gordon each had a pair of singles in their two at-bats and Mike Morse hit a two-run single.

The Marlins emptied their bench, playing 20 position players and throwing six pitchers. Some of the pitchers wore Suns uniforms and will start the year with Jacksonville.

Marlins manager Mike Redmond said the game was more about paying tribute to the minor league cities the last two days. The Marlins traveled to play Class A affiliate Greensboro on Friday.

''You go through every step in the minor leagues to get to the big leagues and each step helps you along the way,'' Redmond said. ''There's no doubt that the guys enjoyed their experience here in Jacksonville and have fond memories.''

''It's nice for us to come back and give those guys a chance to say thanks to the fans and reunite with some old friends, even if it's just for a short time,'' he said.

Seven Marlins played in Jacksonville at some point in their career, including the current starting outfield of Stanton, Christian Yelich and Marcel Ozuna. Stanton is the only one who played more than one season in Jacksonville, having been called up for the second half of the 2009 season and remaining with the Suns for the first two months of 2010.

Stanton hit 21 home runs in 51 games for the Suns in 2010 and batted .313. He finished two homers behind Southern League leader Carlos Peguero despite the short stay.

''I loved my time here in Jacksonville,'' Stanton said. ''I enjoyed the big fan base when I was here and it's nice to see so many of them out here again today for the game.''

Yelich and Ozuna played briefly with the Suns in 2013. Ozuna getting a promotion after just 10 games with Jacksonville while Yelich was with the club for 49 contests.

''I wasn't here very long before I got the call-up and I still have some good friends with this Suns team,'' Yelich said. ''It brings back some great memories to come back here and see the fans who supported you. It's a cool feeling. Everybody's goal is to make it to the big leagues and it all starts in the minor league.''

EASY DOES IT

It was an exhibition game and the Marlins and Suns treated it as just that. There wasn't a lot of regard to who batted when and who pitched for who. The Marlins batted out of turn twice in the game. Jeff Mathis pinch-hit for teammate Jhonatan Solano but Solano stayed in the game and played several more innings. And both the winning and losing pitcher were Suns pitchers in Suns uniforms.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Miami continued its good fortune with health, completing spring training without any serious injuries. The only player missing from the Marlins active roster is starting pitcher Jose Fernandez, who's still recovering from last year's Tommy John surgery.

UP NEXT

The Marlins host Atlanta on Monday in the opener.

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