Home Runs Fly as Marlins Annihilate Athletics in Series Opener

The Miami Marlins returned to their winning ways with a 12-5 win over the Athletics on Friday in Sacramento. 

Kyle Stowers hit two home runs to highlight a 4-for-5 night for the Marlins. After missing much of the first month of the season and struggling to find his swing in the second month, Stowers has caught up to the point of reaching double-digit homers.

Otto Lopez went 2-for-5 to raise his MLB-leading batting average to .337 on the season. Lopez also became the first Marlin to have 37 multi-hit games before the MLB All-Star Break. 

“I feel proud of what we’re doing,” Lopez said after the game. 

The Marlins (47-42) started July with two straight losses, but put fears of slumping to rest with a game like this one. 

“Every single thing that we do, we enjoy as much as possible,” Lopez said. 

The Marlins worked a 2-0 lead in the first inning after a bases-loaded walk and a passed ball. Heriberto Hernandez and Jakob Marsee homered to complete a six-run rally to start the game. 

After the Marlins added another run on a sacrifice fly in the second inning, the Athletics showed some early fight with a two-run home run by Nick Kurtz in the third inning to cut Miami’s lead to 7-2. Kurtz now has 20 home runs on the season. 

The Athletics continued to chip away at the Marlins' lead in the fourth inning. Joshua Kuroda-Grauer and Carlos Cortes each reached base on a single to lead off the inning. Henry Bolte walked to load the bases, setting up a bases-clearing double by Jeff McNeil to make it a 7-5 game. 

Stowers hit his first home run, a solo shot to right field, in the sixth inning and his second, a two-run dinger, in the eighth inning to put Miami ahead 10-5.

Owen Caissie hit his 11th home run of the season to add two more runs for the Marlins in the ninth inning. 

Tyler Phillips lasted 3.1 innings on 71 pitches for the Marlins, allowing five runs on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Lake Bachar earned the win with two hitless innings of relief. 

Athletics starter Jack Perkins was charged with the loss after giving up seven runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched. 

The Marlins send their ace Sandy Alcantara (9-4, 4.20 ERA) to the mound on the 4th of July against the Athletics and Aaron Civale (5-5, 4.92 ERA).

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