‘What 72 Hours Can Do’: Marlins Sweep Phillies

MIAMI — For the second time in three games, Griffin Conine was the hero for the Miami Marlins.

Conine, batting as a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the eighth inning with Kyle Stowers on first and one out, drove a hanging changeup into center field for what proved to be the game-winning two-run homer, sending the home crowd home happy as the Marlins (55-54) swept the Philadelphia Phillies (57-52) 8-6 on Thursday at loanDepot park.

“What 72 hours can do,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said after the game.

It was Miami's first three-game home sweep since July 7-9, when the Marlins swept the Seattle Mariners.

Before the first pitch was thrown at loanDepot park on Monday, the Marlins were in the midst of a franchise-record 12-game losing streak.

“Tumultuous,” Conine said in the dugout Monday when asked to describe the 2026 Marlins season thus far in one word.

Conine's go-ahead pinch-hit home run Thursday was the second pinch-hit homer of his career (June 29 at Colorado) and Miami's sixth this season.

The Chicago Cubs are the only MLB team with more pinch-hit homers (7) this season than Miami.

Philadelphia got to Marlins right-hander Ryan Gusto early, building a 6-0 lead before Miami began its comeback against former Marlins left-hander Jesús Luzardo.

Gusto's afternoon featured six earned runs allowed on nine hits over five innings.

Luzardo finished Thursday allowing six earned runs on six hits, three walks and five strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings.

The Marlins began chipping away in the fifth inning, when Heriberto Hernández continued his hot run at the plate with a two-run home run to left field that trimmed the deficit to 6-3.

Second baseman Xavier Edwards completed the comeback in the seventh inning when he lined a bases-loaded, two-out single into left field to drive home Otto Lopez and Jakob Marsee, tying the game.

Pete Fairbanks, for the second time in less than 24 hours, worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his 15th save of the season, sending the Marlins one game above .500.

Miami will now look to carry its recent success on the road during a pivotal seven-game trip against a pair of National League East rivals.

The club will open a four-game series against the New York Mets at Citi Field, where McCullough confirmed Thursday that right-hander Eury Pérez (5-8, 3.56 ERA) will start for the Marlins. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.

Following the Mets series, the Marlins will travel to Truist Park to begin a three-game set against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. ET.