Marlins start simulating game situations

JUPITER, Fla. -- After 11 days of drills, the Marlins on Wednesday phased in some game situations.

Late in the morning, two simulated games were played on the back fields of the Roger Dean Stadium complex.

It still was a controlled atmosphere, and pitchers didn't face more than five batters.

Ricky Nolasco took the mound, and the first three batters he faced were Juan Pierre, Placido Polanco and Giancarlo Stanton.

Polanco singled to right, and on the play advanced to third on an error. He scored on Stanton's groundout to first.

Among the highlights of the day were Donovan Solano belting a home run off Steve Cishek, and Minor League catcher Wilfredo Gimenez connecting on a two-run blast off Chris Hatcher.

"That was kind of the whole deal, to make it a little more realistic," manager Mike Redmond said. "Pitchers would turn it up a little bit, and hitters would be a little more aggressive swinging the bat. It's good that Polanco had a couple of hits and good at-bats. It was good to see guys out there moving around like it's a game-like situation."

The low moment of the afternoon came when Stanton was struck in the back of the helmet by a 90-plus mph Jose Fernandez fastball. Fernandez's first pitch sailed up and in, and Stanton was unable to get out of the way. Shaken up, Stanton walked off the field, and he was carted back to the clubhouse. Initial reports say he didn't suffer a concussion, and the hope is he is fine.