MIAMI -- Jeff Brigham scuffled in his Major League debut on Sunday and the Marlins dropped the series to Toronto with a 6-1 loss at Marlins Park.
Brigham lasted just three innings in his first big league start, facing trouble in each frame of his 82-pitch outing. He gave up four hits, two of those to the first two batters he faced. One of those scored on a sacrifice fly. And although he didn't allow a hit in the second inning, he still filled the bases with two walks and a hit batter. No further damage was done on the scoreboard, but that wasn't the case in the third inning.
After walking the leadoff batter, Brigham was tagged with a double. Two sacrifice flies increased Toronto's lead to 3-0.
"It's not the same guy we'd seen in the Minor Leagues," manager Don Mattingly said. "Hopefully it's one we get out of the way and next time out we settle down and we get more like what we think we have. Chalk that one up to [jitters] and hope that the ones after that are more like himself and he settles down and pitches more like his game."
It could have been worse. Brigham issued a two-out walk followed by a double. But the Marlins executed a perfect relay to get the runner trying to score from first to end the inning. Shortstop JT Riddle took the throw from left fielder Rafael Ortega and rifled a strike to catcher Chad Wallach, who applied the tag.

It was the third outfield assist for Ortega, who collected two of Miami's six hits and scored the lone run.
"My tempo was a little bit slow," Brigham said. "I wasn't finishing my pitches, wasn't trusting myself. That was one of the big issues there, a lot of pitches were left up. I'm excited to get back out there next week and do better and give the team a chance to win."
A power pitcher, Brigham got his fastball up to 94.3 mph and averaged 91.2 on his four-seamer. He did not have command of his stuff, and developing a reliable third pitch changeup is what the Marlins are looking for Brigham to do as he remains in the starting rotation through the final month of the season.
Brigham started the year at Double-A Jacksonville before being promoted and making his Triple-A debut on July 3 at New Orleans. His 2.36 ERA ranked as second-lowest among Marlins Minor Leaguers this season. Only Class A Batavia Muckdogs reliever Manuel Rodriguez (2.13) posted a lower ERA.

Marlins reliever Brett Graves fared no better over two innings. Following Brigham to the mound, the right-hander retired the first four batters he faced before hitting Randal Grichuk with a pitch. That's when it all fell apart for Graves, who gave up a single and then a three-run homer to Teoscar Hernandez that lifted the Blue Jays to a commanding 6-0 lead.
The Marlins got one of those runs back in the fifth when Riddle drew a two-out, bases loaded walk. But Brian Anderson could not add on, striking out for the third of four times in the game.

"You get one [run] out of that and it kind of stalls you right there," Mattingly said.
Blue Jays' starter Sean Reid-Foley (1-2) earned his first Major League win, holding the Marlins to just four hits while striking out 10 over seven innings.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
With a struggling bullpen, it's good to have some success. Three Marlins relievers went to the mound to combine for four scoreless innings of relief. Nick Wittgren, called up on Saturday from Triple-A New Orleans and making his first appearance with the Marlins since June 28, worked two hitless innings, striking out two batters. Javy Guerra followed with an inning of one-hit ball, and Ben Meyer closed it out with a hitless inning.
"It was good to see Witt out there with a couple of clean innings, Javy has a clean inning," Mattingly said. "Get Ben out there and give those other guys another day [of rest]. So we're in pretty good shape as far as moving forward. It was good to see those guys [have success]."
SOUND SMART
In making his big league debut, Brigham became the 34th player from the University of Washington to appear in a Major League game.
HE SAID IT
"Definitely didn't stay within myself early. It was a big day for me. It was definitely a good learning experience for me." -- Brigham, on nerves getting the best of him
UP NEXT
Right-hander Jose Urena opens a three-game series with the Phillies in a 1:10 p.m. ET Monday Labor Day game at Marlins Park. The Marlins are 4-2 at home against the Phils, though they trail the overall season series, 8-5. It will be Urena's team-leading 27th start of the season and 16th at Marlins Park. His has the lowest run support (minimum 20 starts) of any starter in the Majors (3.38 runs per game, 1.95 at home). The Phillies counter with right-hander Vince Velasquez.