![\"Miami](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/MIA_3_MarlinsvsGuardians27-8-26MXF.JPG\" "\\"Miami")
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Miami Marlins left fielder Kyle Stowers (28) celebrates hitting a home run in the second inning of their MLB game against the Seattle Mariners at loanDepot park on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, in Miami, Fla.<\/p>\n
Photo by Marra X. Finkelstein<\/p>\n
mfinkelstein@miamiherald.com<\/p>\n
Before his second-inning home run, before the 416-foot shot to center field that gave the Miami Marlins an early lead on Wednesday, Kyle Stowers came up big on a pair of plays with his glove in the first inning.<\/p>\n
First, he turned his body in just the right way to corral a long throw from shortstop Otto Lopez to get Randy Arozarena out and then made a stab at a hard-hit Josh Naylor ground ball to record the final out in the first inning and strand two runners.<\/p>\n
As important as Stowers\u2019 bat is to the lineup \u2014 he\u2019s coming off a breakout 2025 season during which he hit a team-best 25 homers and had a .912 on-base-plus-slugging mark \u2014 his adjustment to a new position, moving from his usual spots in the corner outfield to getting more playing time at first base, has been equally critical for the red-hot Marlins.<\/p>\n
Both aspects of Stowers\u2019 game were on display in Miami\u2019s 2-0 series-clinching win over the Seattle Mariners. The Marlins have won 25 of 33 games since June 1 and are 9-1-1 in their past 11 series to improve to 51-42 on the season.<\/p>\n
And they\u2019ve been on display essentially for the entirety of this hot stretch.<\/p>\n
Since June 1, Stowers is hitting .271 (32 for 118) with 18 extra-base hits, including nine of his 12 home runs, across 31 games. The Marlins are 7-0 in games over that stretch when Stowers hits a home run. It\u2019s been a needed turnaround for the 2025 All-Star after his start to the season was delayed by a pair of hamstring injuries during spring training.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Wednesday was Stowers\u2019 19th start at first base. He has committed just two errors there while ranking 12th in FanGraphs\u2019 defensive rating among 43 players who have played at least 150 innings at first base this season. Stowers also has 29 starts in left field, 11 in right field and eight as the designated hitter this year.<\/p>\n
His early home run on Wednesday gave Miami a lead it wouldn\u2019t relinquish. He sent a middle-middle knuckle curve from Seattle\u2019s George Kirby to straightaway center field to give the Marlins an early 1-0 advantage.<\/p>\n
An Xavier Edwards RBI triple in the third doubled Miami\u2019s lead.<\/p>\n
That was more than enough for the Marlins as four pitchers combined to throw the team\u2019s eighth shutout of the season. Tyler Phillips kept the Mariners (47-46) off the board for five innings, working around four hits and a pair of walks while striking out three. Cade Gibson (two innings), Michael Petersen (one inning) and Pete Fairbanks (one inning) took care of the final four frames, with Fairbanks earning his 13th save of the season in the process.<\/p>\n
Otto Lopez ties Marlins record<\/p>\n
With his latest multi-hit effort on Wednesday, shortstop Otto Lopez tied the Marlins\u2019 record for most hits before the All-Star Break with 126, matching a mark set by Luis Arraez during the 2023 season.<\/p>\n
Lopez leads MLB with a .345 batting average.<\/p>\n
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Lopez is the first player in MLB with 40 multi-hit games before the All-Star Break since Houston\u2019s Jose Altuve in 2014. The last player with more than 40 multi-hit games before the break was the New York Mets\u2019 Jose Reyes in 2011 (43).<\/p>\n
Caissie exits early<\/p>\n
Owen Caissie was removed from Wednesday\u2019s game in the top of the second inning due to right calf tightness. Griffin Conine replaced Caissie in right field.<\/p>\n
Caissie entered Wednesday with a .239 batting average and 12 home runs, the latter of which is tied with Stowers and Heriberto Hernandez for second on the team. Seven of those home runs have come since June 10, a 22-game stretch in which he is hitting .300 with a 1.038 OPS and 20 RBI.<\/p>\n