Kyle Stowers sparks offense and Ramirez powers up, leading the Marlins to a crucial home victory over the Cardinals.
MIAMI — With Kyle Stowers back, the Miami Marlins feel like their formidable selves again.
With the Marlins’ 5-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday, Miami is 2-0 with the star left fielder back with the club.
Stowers went 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. He told Marlins Radio after the game that it’s “so fun being back a part of things.”
“Getting hits always feels good,” Stowers said. “I feel like I have a lot of room to improve right now with my swing, my mechanics. I think I’ve done a great job being present at the box, something I’ve taken a lot of pride in.”
Both teams scored a run in the fourth inning. Jordan Walker reached on a single and scored on a sacrifice fly from Masyn Winn.
Stowers drew a walk in the bottom of the fourth and scored on a ground-rule double by Xavier Edwards, who was batting cleanup for the first time in his career. The Marlins took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning on a solo home run by Agustín Ramírez.
Starting pitcher Max Meyer pitched his deepest start of the season, going 5.1 innings with two earned runs and eight strikeouts for Miami (11-12). The second run scored on a wild pitch thrown by reliever Calvin Faucher after reaching on a walk in the sixth inning.
Stowers reached on a single in the sixth inning and scored his second run on a double by Otto Lopez in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Marlins' rally continued with an RBI single by Liam Hicks to score Lopez.
Hicks struck again in the eighth inning with another RBI single to tie the MLB lead with 21. The second-year catcher/DH went 2-for-4 to lead the Marlins at the plate.
Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks allowed his first run of the season at home after Winn hit a leadoff triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ramón Urías. Winn was the only Cardinals batter to collect two hits.
Fairbanks ended the game with two straight strikeouts for his fourth save of the season. Fairbanks has a 1.50 ERA and 10 strikeouts in six home appearances this season.
Starter Michael McGreevy went 5.2 innings for the Cardinals (13-9), allowing four runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
Chris Paddack (0-3, 5.59 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Marlins, who are looking to extend their winning streak to three, on Tuesday. The Cardinals will look to bounce back with Dustin May (2-2, 6.98 ERA).
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