If the Marlins miss the playoffs, fans and players alike can look to Wednesday nights game against the San Francisco Giants and say “thats where it ended”. Already 4 games behind the Mets heading in, and knowing that the Mets and Phillies had won, all the Marlins needed to do was beat the San Francisco Giants. The Giants, 18 games below .500, should not have been that difficult for the Marlins to sweep, and they NEEDED to do so to stay in the race. Especially when you consider that the Phillies and Mets are playing cupcakes this week in the form of the Atlanta Braves and Washington Nationals.

And when it mattered most, the Marlins again just couldn’t put together a full game effort from all parties. Scott Olsen had another less than stellar outing, going 6 innings while giving up 9 hits and 4 ER. Olsen blew a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the 6th allowing 3 ER giving the Giants a 4-2 lead. Even still it seemed the Marlins could win, trailing 5-2 in the top of the 9th inning, John Baker hit a pinch hit 3R – HR to tie the game. It was false hope unfortunately, Lindstrom couldn’t even go one effective inning as Bengie Molina hit a sac fly in the bottom of the 9th to drive in the winning run for the Giants.

Miracles occur every once in awhile in sports, and at this point that is likely what the Marlins are going to need to overcome the Mets and Phillies to make the playoffs. The Marlins cannot afford any more slip ups, especially when they face teams nearly 20 games below .500. Their schedule still includes 12 games combined against the Mets and Phillies, they get 12 games combined as well against the lowly Braves and Nationals. They still have a chance, but they need to come together as a team and decide what they want to make of their season. Comebacks aren’t unheard of, especially in this division as the Phillies erased a 7 game Mets lead last year to steal the division and make the playoffs.