Cishek getting job done in ninth for Marlins

SAN FRANCISCO -- For a young team looking to gain confidence and come together, it is important to lock down as many potential wins as possible.

Marlins closer Steve Cishek has been doing his part.

On Friday night, Cishek picked up his 12th save, pitching around two Giants hits in the ninth inning to close out a 6-3 Marlins win.

The Marlins may have the worst record in baseball, but they are 10-8 in June, and they've played against teams like the Cardinals, D-backs and now the Giants.

"We're hitting the ball well," Cishek said. "When people like that start hitting, it becomes contagious. Guys start to relax. We've been playing great defense all year. Our pitching has been a little bit better, too. We've had some quality starts against some quality teams. That's what it's all about."

Cishek has given up one run in nine innings in June, compared to his 5.25 ERA in 12 innings in April.

The Marlins are coming together at a time key players like Giancarlo Stanton and Logan Morrison are back in the lineup. They're starting to see results in close games, as they are now 11-14 in one-run games.

"This is a great test for us," Cishek said. "I don't know how many one-run games or walk-off games we've lost this year, but it's quite a bit. So we're right there. We're really just one big hit away or one big stop away from getting a win.

"Lately, it's been working out for us. We've been able to get that big hit or big stop, or make a big pitch or make a big play. We're hoping we can put it together for the rest of the year, because this is a lot more fun."