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After going eight days without playing a game due to numerous positive tests for COVID-19, the makeshift Miami Marlins hit the ground running.
In a 4-game series played in three days, Miami swept the Baltimore Orioles. The Marlins pitched two shutouts in the series and earned three wins in 1-run games.
Miami never trailed until the final game of the series, but rallied to win, 8-7. Dating back to July 26, the Marlins had run their winning streak to six games before dropping the final two games of a 3-game series against the New York Mets over the weekend.
Week in Review
Miami Marlins 4, Baltimore Orioles 0
Tuesday, Aug. 4
Miami starting pitcher Pablo Lopez was stellar in his 2020 debut, working five shutout innings. Lopez allowed just two hits and no walks while striking out seven. Jon Berti was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Jesus Aguilar homered in the victory.
Miami Marlins 1, Baltimore Orioles 0
Wednesday, Aug. 5 (Doubleheader – Game 1)
A solo home run by Brian Anderson accounted for all the scoring in a 1-0 victory for Miami in the first of two 7-inning games in a doubleheader. Elieser Hernandez yielded just two hits and a walk in 4.1 shutout innings. Hernandez struck out five. The teams combined for just five hits.
Baltimore Orioles 1, Miami Marlins 2
Wednesday, Aug. 5 (Doubleheader – Game 2 in Baltimore)
Playing as the home team in Baltimore, Miami got both of its runs in the first inning. After a sacrifice fly by Aguilar put the Marlins on the board, Anderson added an RBI single. Baltimore’s lone run came in the sixth on an RBI single by Austin Hays.
Baltimore Orioles 7, Miami Marlins 8
Thursday, Aug. 6 (In Baltimore)
Four home runs by Baltimore wasn’t enough to keep the Marlins from completing the 4-game sweep. Miami broke a 6-6 tie with a sacrifice fly from Jesus Aguilar and an RBI triple by Brian Anderson in the seventh. Jonathan Villar was 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs in the win. Anderson and catcher Francisco Cervelli were each 2-for-4 in the contest. Anderson drove in three runs while Cervelli scored twice. Renato Nunez homered twice for the Orioles. Dwight Smith Jr. and Chance Sisco also went deep in the loss.
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Miami Marlins 4, New York Mets 3
Friday, Aug. 7
A 4-run second inning highlighted by Cevelli’s 3-run home run was all the Marlins needed to win their sixth straight game. The New York Mets scored two runs in the eighth to draw to within a run, but Nick Vincent worked out of a bases-loaded, 1-out jam before pitching a perfect ninth to earn the save. Dominic Smith homered for the Mets. Aguilar and Matt Joyce each had two hits for Miami.
Miami Marlins 4, New York Mets 8
Saturday, Aug. 8
Home runs from Michael Conforto, J.D. Davis and Peter Alonso accounted for seven of the Mets’ eight runs as the Marlins’ 6-game winning streak came to an end. Logan Forsythe homered for Miami in the loss. Monte Harrison drove in the first two runs of his career for the Marlins. Daniel Castano took the loss for Miami in his big-league debut.
Miami Marlins 2, New York Mets 4
Sunday, Aug. 9
Leaving 10 men on base was too much to overcome as the Miami Marlins dropped a series for the first time this season. All the Miami offense came on a 2-run home run from Jesus Aguilar. Jeff McNeil plated two runs for the Mets. Eddy Alvarez was 3-for-4 for the Marlins with the first hits of his career. Andres Gimenez was 3-for-4 for New York with three runs scored.
In the Standings
7-3, first place in National League East. The Atlanta Braves technically have a half-game lead over the Marlins in the National League East, but in terms of winning percentage, Miami sits in front. The Marlins sit at .700 compared to .647 for Atlanta. The Mets and Philadelphia Phillies are tied for third place at 3.5 games behind the Braves.
Who’s Hot, Who’s Not
Who’s Hot
Pablo Lopez, P
Pablo Lopez shined in his first start of 2020. The right-hander worked five shutout innings in a 1-0 victory. He yielded just two hits and no walks while striking out seven. Although he took the loss in his second start of the season, Lopez allowed just two earned runs on five hits in Sunday’s loss to the New York Mets. For the season, he owns a 1.80 ERA.
Brian Anderson, OF/3B
Brian Anderson was 7-for-23 this week for Miami — good for a .304 average — but more importantly, was a run producer. Anderson finished with six RBIs in seven games for the Marlins. Anderson had a triple and a home run. The homer accounted for all the offense in the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader in Baltimore.
Who’s Not
Jordan Yamamoto, P
In his 2020 debut, Jordan Yamamoto did not display his best stuff. Yamamoto did not issue a walk, but got too much of the plate with his pitches. Yamamoto allowed four runs on six hits and two homers in four innings of work. The four runs allowed was the most allowed in any start for Miami this season until Saturday.
Monte Harrison, OF
Monte Harrison’s anticipated 2020 debut did not live up to the hype. Harrison was 2-for-16 with nine strikeouts, including four in Sunday’s loss in New York. One of his two hits did plate a pair of runs.
News, Notes and Recognitions
With Thursday’s win over Baltimore, Don Mattingly became the winningest manager in Marlins’ history.
Miami’s 60-man roster has undergone numerous changes.
The remaining schedule has been revised for Miami. Changes would put Miami at 60 games.
Upcoming This Week
Tuesday, Aug. 11 and Wednesday, Aug. 12: at Toronto Blue Jays, 6:37 p.m. ET (in Buffalo, Fox Sports Florida)
Friday, Aug. 14: vs. Atlanta Braves, 7:10 p.m. ET (Fox Sports Florida)
Saturday, Aug. 15: vs. Atlanta Braves, 6:10 p.m. ET (Fox Sports Florida)
Sunday, Aug. 16: vs. Atlanta Braves, 1:10 p.m. ET (Fox Sports Florida, ESPN+)
Mike Ferguson is the managing editor for Fifth Quarter. Be sure to follow Mike on Twitter at @MikeWFerguson. Follow all of Mike’s work by liking his Facebook page.