Fredi will try anything to try to jump-start the Marlins, who have scored 15 runs in the first five games of the homestand. He has moved Cody Ross into the No. 2 spot behind Hanley Ramirez and moved Jeremy Hermida from No. 2 to the No. 7 spot. Hermida has a better on-base-percentage (.324-316) than Ross .But Hermida is 0 for his last 16, and the last time he had a hit is when he went 2 for 2 in New York Sunday when he hit in the No. 7 spot in the order. Hermida did kill the Cubs in Chicago, where he went 4 for 12 with three home runs and a double. Ross is one of the few productive hitters for the Marlins of late. He is 4 for 11 with a home run during the homestand.
“It doesn’t make any difference to me where they hit me in the lineup,’’ Ross said. “It’s not like we come in every day and look at the lineup and go ‘oh, look who’s who’s hitting where?’ That’s what you guys (the media) do.’’
Lou Pineilla made some changes, and started Daryl Warrd at first base. Ward has made just three starts in the past since July 1, but he was hitting .316 (6 for 19) in his last five starts, dating back to June 27. Of course, Ward is getting the start after beating the Marlins Friday night with a three-run pinch-hit ninth-inning home run.
Here are the lineups:
MARLINS (63-60)
RAMIREZ SS
ROSS CF
CANTU 3B
JACOBS 1B
UGGLA 2B
WILLINGHAM LF
HERMIDA RF
BAKER C
SANCHEZ P
CUBS (75-47)
SORIANO CF
THERIOT SS
EDMONDS CF
WARD 1B
FONTENOT 2B
FUKUDOME RF
DEROSA 3B
BLANCO C
MARSHALL P
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