MIAMI — For one inning Monday, and for the first time in a long time, the Miami Marlins’ offense came to life.
Twelve batters came to the plate. Six got hits. Three more drew walks. Eight made their way around the bases.
The fifth-inning outburst paved the way for the Marlins’ 10-6 win over the Texas Rangers in the nightcap of a split doubleheader at loanDepot park. Miami dropped the first game 3-2.
Just how big was the eight-run inning? Here’s some context:
— The Marlins (58-83) had scored eight runs in a game just once in their first 51 games since the All-Star Break prior to the second game of the doubleheader.
— Charles Leblanc, who the Marlins acquired from the Rangers in the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 Draft in December, hit a pair of RBI doubles in the inning. His first of the two doubles came at the end of a nine-pitch at-bat before lining a middle-middle fastball to left field. He became the sixth player in Marlins history to record multiple extra-base hits in one inning. The most recent: Marcell Ozuna on July 26, 2017, — interestingly enough also against the Rangers.
— This also wasn’t the first time the Marlins had an eight-run inning this season. Miami scored eight runs in the ninth-inning of its 11-3, come-from-behind win against the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 11. All eight runs in the Diamondbacks game came with two outs, with a pair of three-run home runs from Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Avisail Garcia fueling the rally.
On Monday against the Rangers (61-80)? Each of the Marlins’ first six batters reached base, with Leblanc’s double and back-to-back singles from Jon Berti and Brian Anderson driving in the first four runs. After a Joey Wendle groundout, Garrett Cooper hit a two-run double and Nick Fortes hit an RBI single for three more runs before Leblanc capped scoring in the frame with a two-out double.
More game notables
— Berti stole two bases and scored three runs. The two stolen bases brings his MLB-lead to 34 and the three runs gives him a team-leading 40 on the season.
— Braxton Garrett threw 4 2/3 innings in his first start since going on the injured list with a right oblique strain. He held the Rangers to two earned runs on two hits and two walks while striking out four. He threw 65 pitches, notable considering he threw just 46 in his one rehab start prior to being activated.
— Bryan Hoeing (four earned runs over two innings), Huascar Brazoban (1/3 of an inning), Tanner Scott (one inning) and Dylan Floro (one inning) pitched the final 4 1/3 innings out of the bullpen.
