Marlins Win Series in L.A.

The Florida Marlins finished off their series win against the Los Angeles Dodgers in impressive fashion - holding off the best team in the Majors in an 8-6 victory. The Dodgers made a push in the 6th inning and almost completed a comeback in the 9th, but the Marlins didn't let the lead slip. It was a tough sight for Fish fans when the Marlins were swept by the Phillies coming off the all-star break. Now, it's safe to say that the Marlins have bounced back and brought themselves into playoff discussions once again.

It was a bit of a pay back game for the Marlins after being embarrassed in Florida by the Dodgers in mid-May. In that series, the Dodgers scored a total of 21 runs on the Marlins. This time around the Fish racked up 18 runs against Los Angeles. There's nothing like a good ole' offensive butt whoopin' to "repay a favor." Even despite the questionable officiating by the home plate umpire, the Marlins were able to survive the ejection of Burke Badenhop and bring home the win.

Now the Marlins are 2.5 games behind the Wild Card race and 6.5 games behind the N.L. East leading Phillies. The division race may not be as close as the Marlins would like it to be, but it is within reach and is attainable. Besides, the Marlins are now 5-1 after being swept by the Phillies on July 17-19.

From sweeping the worst (Padres) to defeating the best (Dodgers), the Marlins regrouped by winning the games they had to and playing exceptional against the favorites. This must be a trend and not a spurt of luck for Florida if they hope to stay in the hunt for October.

Count It Up

• Hanley Ramirez went 2-for-4 and scored 3 RBIs in the final game of the series, keeping his batting average at .348
• Dan Uggla homered for he 16th time this season on Sunday, but still is struggling with a .229 batting average.
• Leo Nuñez has earned 4 saves in the last six games and is beginning to look like the Marlins go-to closer.

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The fans voted and it's time to see the results of out Florida Marlins poll. We asked the question, "The Florida Marlins are..." A) Contenders, B) Pretenders and C) Wild Card Bound. It seems as though the fans are split 50-50, leaving the perception of the Marlins as a toss up. A couple of fans did vote for "Wild Card Bound" and believe that Florida can manufacture the same magic they had in 1997 and 2003.

Not many people realize this, but the Marlins are undefeated when they reach the playoffs. That is, the Marlins have not lost a playoff series in their franchise history. That's something Fish fans can pride themselves on and hope for the franchise to continue.