Facing scoreless streak, Marlins try not to press

DENVER -- For three games, the Marlins' offense was nearly nonexistent.

But Coors Field proved to be the perfect place to end a streak of 37 straight scoreless innings, as the Marlins wasted no time scoring two runs in the first inning in the series opener against the Rockies. It was the longest scoreless streak in franchise history and ended 11 innings short of the big league record.

Shut out in three games against the Brewers, Miami managed only one extra-base hit (15 total) -- a double in the series opener.

Such struggles at the plate often lead to players pressing during every at-bat, poised to be the one who disrupts the unwanted trend.

"Once you don't score for a game or two games in a row, then all of a sudden you start pressing and the third game [against Milwaukee], you can see we're just swinging at bad pitches and just being overanxious," hitting coach Tino Martinez said. "But they'll get over it, they'll get through it."

Martinez said players swing even more freely when runners are in scoring position, that much more hungry to get the offense clicking.

What gave the Marlins coaching staff confidence, however, was that the offense was operating at full speed before the All-Star break. Miami took three of four and scored 18 runs in those games before the break, and Martinez said hitters likely fell out of rhythm after four days off.

Martinez, who endured many dry spells himself over a 15-year big league career, has kept the message simple.

"Just relax," he said. "Those games are behind us, one at-bat a time, things are going to turn around. They know they're a good hitting team, they know they can score runs, they've proven it over the last couple months."

"I don't tell them I know it all. I tell that I've been there, I know what you're going through as an individual and going through as a team."

Part of the lengthy stretch of offensive futility can be attributed to a team loaded with youth and lacking a stabilizing veteran presence. Marlins manager Mike Redmond acknowledged that likely plays a role, but doesn't see it as the source of the problem.

"I think that's probably a little bit of youth and inexperience," Redmond said. "But at the same time too, it's consistency and it's sticking with your gameplan and your approach. And as you know in this game, when you let up, this game has a way of beating you down."