Marlins successful in homestand despite injured pitching staff

MIAMI -- Despite seeing a second starter hit the IL in as many days, the Marlins’ vibes are surprisingly stellar. Miami ended its six-game homestand on a high note with a 6-4 win over the AL West leader, Seattle, on Sunday afternoon at loanDepot park. The Marlins went 4-2 during the stretch at home.

“It feels good. You know, definitely -- winning feels good,” Nick Gordon said. “So as long as we can try to keep that going and try to win some ball games, win some series, it'll definitely feel even better.”

Taking two of three from one of the best teams in the American League is no easy feat -- especially with Seattle’s starters boasting the fourth-best ERA in MLB (3.40). And yet, Miami found a way.

Kyle Tyler -- making a spot start, his first career MLB start, in place of Braxton Garrett, who was placed on the 15-day IL pregame -- allowed just two runs on three hits (one homer), three walks and a hit-by-pitch over four innings. A 2018 Angels Draft pick who has bounced around the Minors since making his Major League debut in ‘21, it was a big moment for the righty -- as was setting down Seattle in order to open the first inning.

“It was incredible, just to know that [the Mariners'] lineup is very dangerous, that they can swing the bat really well -- to be able to go three-up, three-down, it was good,” Tyler said. “... I'd say [the start] went really well. I was definitely nervous to start, but I think once I got in the bullpen, and once the game got going, everything kind of settled in and I was able to just go out and pitch the way that I know how.”

It was Tyler’s clean first that set up another arguably bigger moment for the Marlins in the bottom half of the frame.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. led off the first inning with a double, then scored on a single from Jake Burger. With two runners on and two outs, up stepped Gordon -- who promptly hit a three-run homer to put the Marlins up, 4-0, early. It was Gordon’s first long ball since May 31.

“Setting the tone -- it can change the game, you know? It just depends,” Gordon said. “But whenever you're scoring runs, it feels good for us. So I mean, if we're the ones scoring the runs early, we like it.”

Thanks to the four-run first inning, the Marlins became the fifth Major League team and fourth National League team to score 50 runs in the first frame. They plated another run in the second before Jesús Sánchez demolished a Statcast-projected 429-foot homer to center field in the third.

Sánchez is one of a few Marlins who have been absolutely dominant of late. The outfielder hit .304 over the homestand with three homers and six RBIs. It has helped that Miami was facing a lot of right-handed pitching, giving the left-handed-hitting Sánchez more consistent at-bats.

“Everyday at-bats always help,” manager Skip Schumaker said. “When he starts trying to guess with the pitcher, he gets in trouble. It's when he just lets it go and doesn't think too much of like, where to hit it. He's got this crazy power, and it can do damage when it's inside the strike zone. … He had a really good series against St. Louis, [and] it kind of carried over this weekend against some really tough righties.”

Beyond its offense, there were other key moments that contributed to Miami’s strong finish to the homestand. Ali Sánchez made his first start behind the plate as a Marlin and picked up his first big league caught stealing.

“[It felt] good, really good,” Sánchez said. “I've been waiting for that moment and it's very special just to get that one.”

And A.J. Puk -- the only reliever Miami called on for more than an inning on Sunday -- picked up his first win of the season by delivering a pair of perfect frames in the fifth and sixth, striking out two.

“A.J. has been, lately, really, really good,” Schumaker said. “That's as good of a run as I've seen A.J. on in the last week, two weeks. So he's really happy where he's at, and obviously we're really happy where he's at as well.”

As the Marlins hit the road, they’re glad to have a happy flight. They’ll be facing two teams above .500, including the Major League-leading Phillies, and will need the homestand momentum to follow them.