Marlins sound great in exhibition romp over UM

Ramirez, J. Miller hit three-run homers - Juan C. Rodriguez, Sun Sentinel

It didn't go on long enough to violate any noise ordinances, but Hanley Ramirez and a couple of his Marlins Get your Marlins Tickets now! teammates made quite the racket at Roger Dean Stadium on Wednesday. With the University of Miami in town for an exhibition game, Ramirez along with Dan Uggla and Jorge Cantu took some batting practice swings with aluminum bats.
"It's like a thunderbolt was going off when they were hitting them," first baseman Gaby Sanchez said.

The sounds dulled but were no less pleasing for the Marlins once they switched back to maple and ash for the game. Ramirez's three-run, first-inning homer sparked the Marlins to a 19-3 romp over the 10th-ranked Hurricanes.

Ramirez hadn't swung aluminum since little league, saying: "It's so much different, the sounds, the ball carries more. It's light. You have more control of the bat."

The reigning National League batting champion, Ramirez does just fine with wood. He lined a 1-0 pitch off Miami freshman lefty Jerad Grundy over the left field wall as a part of a 2-for-2 day. The Marlins also got a three-run homer from outfielder Jai Miller during a six-run eighth.

"That's the situation with men in scoring position," Ramirez said. "That's my job, RBIs. I made a good swing and the wind was blowing out, so even better."

Prompting Cantu to chime in: "If he doesn't get [the RBIs] I'll get them. He knows that. He better get them."

It seemed like everybody got them as the Marlins totaled 21 hits during a blustery, teeth-chattering afternoon. Seven players, including non-roster infielder Brian Barden (3 for 3), tallied at least two hits.

The regulars each logged a pair of at-bats and starter Ricky Nolasco allowed a single and struck out two over two scoreless innings. Nolasco threw first-pitch strikes to all seven batters he faced. Just seven of his 23 pitches were outside the zone.

In the past the Marlins generally have started one of their pitching prospects in this game, saving their rotation for Grapefruit League action. That Nolasco hadn't thrown to aluminum bat-wielding hitters since high school didn't faze him, but he did find the experience odd