It’s unclear what the Los Angeles Angels’ pitching staff did to the Miami Marlins, but Miami spent the weekend taking its anger out on the baseball.
During Sunday’s 12-3 win over the Angels, the Marlins finished with double-digit hits for the third consecutive game, racking up 14 to secure their second straight win and take the three-game series.
Miami improved to 60-59 with the win.
After collecting 12 hits in Friday’s loss and 10 more in Saturday’s 7-0 win, the Marlins saved their biggest offensive showing for the series finale.
Griffin Conine led the way, going 2 for 4 with two home runs, three RBI and two runs scored, raising his season total to 12 homers.
His first blast, a two-run shot during Miami’s six-run fifth inning, traveled a Statcast-projected 434 feet with an exit velocity of 115 mph.
“That’s what he does when he hits the ball,” said Marlins manager Clayton McCullough. “He just hits the ball hard. I think today he just had a real confident look to him in the box.”
He’s now tied for the second-most homers in MLB since July 9 with nine trailing only Boston’s Wilyer Abreu, who has ten.
Conine wasn’t alone.
Third baseman Javier Sanoja went 2-for-4 with three RBI, delivering a pair of run-scoring singles.
His first drove home Owen Caissie in the fourth inning before he added a two-run single during Miami’s six-run fifth.
Caissie added two hits and an RBI, while Otto Lopez and Jakob Marsee each finished with two hits.
Right-hander Ryan Gusto made the start for Miami, allowing two runs on three hits with one walk and four strikeouts across four innings.
“Landed the sweeper and curveball really well. So using those big spin options was huge,” Gusto said. “I think the fastball was there for me a lot today, so I’m happy with everything overall.”
Michael Petersen followed Gusto with a scoreless fifth inning and earned the win before Tyler Zuber, Calvin Faucher, Victor Vodnik and Josh Ekness finished the game.
Stowers exits with hamstring discomfort
The only significant concern to emerge from Miami’s offensive outburst involved Kyle Stowers.
Stowers was enjoying another strong afternoon, going 2 for 4 with two RBI before leaving the game after his two-run single in the fifth inning. The Marlins announced that he exited with left hamstring discomfort and would undergo further evaluation.
“No real updates,” McCullough said. “He left the game with discomfort. We’ll send him for examination. Any time you have to leave the game on your own power, it’s not great.”
Stowers’ first hit was a stand-up triple to open the bottom of the first inning. He later scored on a wild pitch before driving home two runs with his single in the fifth.
The injury comes as Stowers has begun to regain his form after a slower start to the season.
Entering Sunday, Stowers had an .856 OPS with 39 RBI across 56 games since June 1. He’s now batting .242 with 16 home runs, 52 RBI and a .789 OPS this season.
The hamstring issue is particularly notable because Stowers already missed the beginning of the season with a Grade 1 strain of his right hamstring. He opened the year on the 10-day injured list and did not make his season debut until April 19 after a five-game rehab assignment with Triple A Jacksonville.
What’s next
The Marlins are off Monday before opening a three-game home series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday at 6:40 p.m.
Eury Pérez (5-9, 3.61 ERA) is scheduled to start for Miami opposite Pirates ace Paul Skenes (9-10, 3.96 ERA).