Marlins Take Down Rangers to Wrap Up 5-1 Homestand

MIAMI — With their 4-2 victory over the Texas Rangers, the Miami Marlins have won all four home series in June. 

The Fightin’ Fish went from ending the month of May swept by the New York Mets and eight games under .500 to 16-5 through June and in playoff contention at 42-39. The Marlins moved up to third place in the National League East, two games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for second place. 

The Marlins have more home wins than any other team in baseball, with 28. Miami is also the only team out of the playoffs to have a winning record against teams above .500 at 23-21.

Otto Lopez went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run in the eighth inning to continue his All-Star caliber first half of the season. He continues to lead the Major Leagues in hits (107) and batting average (.340). 

Eury Perez returned from the injured list and pitched 4.2 innings with one strikeout and one run allowed. His only blemish came on a solo home run by Rangers outfielder Wyatt Langford in the fourth inning. 

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said on Tuesday that Perez would throw more pitches than his rehab outing in Triple-A Jacksonville (51) but fewer than his previous start in Toronto that resulted in his quad strain (73). Perez split the difference and threw 68 pitches. 

The Marlins tied the game 1-1 on an RBI double by Griffin Conine, who was recently activated from the 60-day injured list as well. Conine told Marlins Radio after the game his biggest priority in returning to the field was “getting comfortable back at this level.”

“My rehab assignment went quick,” Conine said. “I’m still trying to get a feel back in the box, so that was a good one to get.” 

It was only the second hit allowed by Rangers ace Jacob deGrom at the time. Conine struck out swinging on four straight sliders in the first at-bat, but was able to take one inside to right field for his only hit of the game. 

“That might have been the only mistake that he made,” Conine said. 

The Marlins took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Xavier Edwards.

In the loss, deGrom went six innings, allowing two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts for the Rangers (38-42). 

John King earned the win for the Marlins with one scoreless inning of work. Michael Peterson struck out the side in the eighth inning. 

Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks gave up a solo home run to Joc Pederson in the ninth inning, but contained the rest of the Rangers to secure his 12th save of the season. 

The Marlins travel to St. Louis on Friday to take on the Cardinals for a three-game weekend series. Max Meyer (8-0, 2.80 ERA) will take the mound for the Marlins against the Cardinals and Dustin May (5-6, 4.30 ERA). 

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