MIAMI — It started with a Jorge Soler double. The left fielder worked his way to a 3-1 count in the first Miami Marlins at-bat of the game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday before lining a low Zach Eflin sinker into left field in order to get to second base to snap a streak of 13 consecutive plate appearances without a hit (not to mention the seven strikeouts).
He scored two batters later on a double from Jesus Sanchez, who then made it to home plate himself on a Jesus Aguilar single.
The Marlins had two runs on the board within their first four at-bats.
Yes, the offense came to life early and gave Marlins pitchers more than enough support in a 7-1 win over the Phillies on Friday at loanDepot park in front of an announced crowd of 11,990. The Marlins (3-4) have won consecutive games for the first time this season after winning just one of five games on their season-opening road trip prior to starting their home series against Philadelphia.
Collectively, it was the best performance by the Marlins’ lineup early this season and a sign of what Miami is hoping to see on a more consistent basis this season.
“We’re on our third series of the season. It’s early in the season still,” bench coach James Rowson said pregame. “There’s so many players still settling in around the league. They’re no different. I think it’s just a matter of continuing to get at-bats. ... I’m not worried about our guys. Just want them to kind of settle in.”
They showed their potential Friday.
Every player in Miami’s starting lineup recorded a hit and five of nine reached base multiple times.
Sanchez went 2 for 5 with the first-inning double and a fifth-inning triple — his second consecutive game with a triple. Aguilar also had three RBI, adding sacrifice flies in the fifth and sixth innings.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s triple to right in the second inning tacked on two more runs for Miami.
Five of Miami’s 11 hits went for extra bases.
On the mound, Pablo Lopez threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings and held the Phillies (3-5) to four hits and two walks while recording two strikeouts. The Marlins have won both of Lopez’s starts this season, during which Lopez has compiled a 0.87 ERA (one earned run allowed in 10 1/3 innings) with eight strikeouts while allowing just seven hits and three walks.
Louis Head (1 1/3 innings), Richard Bleier (1/3 inning), Shawn Armstrong (1 inning) and Daniel Castano (1 inning) finished things off from there.
Nick Castellanos broke up the Marlins’ shutout bid with a solo home run to right field in the eighth inning against Armstrong.
Rowson reflects on Jackie Robinson Day
Friday marked the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s MLB debut and the 25th anniversary of then-MLB commissioner Bud Selig’s announcement that Robinson’s No. 42 would be retired across MLB.
Since 2009, every player, coach and manager has worn No. 42 on April 15.
Rowson, one of two Black coaches on manager Don Mattingly’s staff, said emotions hit him every year on Jackie Robinson Day.
“First and foremost, it’s an honor,” Rowson said. “For me, I wake up every day on Jackie Robinson day and truly reflect on the opportunities I’ve been given in the game. None of these are possible without Jackie’s sacrifice. I look at Jackie Robinson Day like it’s a baseball holiday, but it’s more it’s like a life holiday, a life lesson. He changed the world. He didn’t just change baseball. He changed the world for Black men to realize that like we could realize our dreams, and these days, I think about my dad and the sacrifices he did for me growing up.
“It’s just really an emotional day because it brings a lot of things together,” Rowson continued. “Just proud that we are where we are. We’re at a point in society where everyone’s voice is now being heard. You’re able to speak your mind, able to let the world freely know who you are as a person and you don’t have to hide anything. I think this day really reflects that and allows people to be people and hopefully we can continue to just grow.”
Wendle’s all-around game
In addition to his fifth-inning single extending his hit streak to begin the season to six games, Joey Wendle also recorded his first — and the Marlins’ first — stolen base of the season and made a pair of solid defensive plays.
He started a double play in the third inning while in the shift on a Kyle Schwarber groundball to the right side and snared a Simon Muzziotti line drive in the seventh inning with a runner on third and one out to prevent a run from scoring.
