Miami Marlins at Athletics

WEST SACRAMENTO – The Marlins didn’t need an otherworldly Kyle Stowers to compose their best June in franchise history. However, if Stowers just so happens to rekindle his 2025 All-Star form, which he appears to be trending toward, this Miami club could be even more dangerous. The Marlins slugged a season-high-tying five homers, including two by Stowers, to snap a two-game skid in Friday night’s 12-5 victory over the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. “Certainly having a middle-of-the-order presence like Kyle that the other team has to prepare for and plan for, and his ability to walk, but also to drive in runs, hit home runs, slug, it's a big boost,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “And then you're also getting so many contributions from others within our lineup now, and starting to see more days like this, like we're having, where we're able to put up some crooked numbers in innings, and we're able to extend leads. Kyle’s usually in the middle of a lot of good things that we're doing on big offensive days.” After missing opportunities to break the game open early in Thursday’s loss in Colorado, Miami didn’t let that carry over into its series opener against the A’s. Heriberto Hernández and Jakob Marsee went deep in a six-run first that saw all nine batters come to the plate. The first three hitters singled to load the bases for Xavier Edwards, who walked in a run. Following a run-scoring passed ball, Hernández deposited righty Jack Perkins’ center-cut, two-strike four-seamer over the center-field wall for a three-run homer. Since June 24, Hernández had been hitting 2-for-21 (.095) with two doubles and no RBIs in seven games. His ninth homer of the season ranks fourth on the team. “It’s very exciting to see the way he’s performing,” Hernández said of Stowers via interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. “We know what he can do. We saw that last year. We think he’s *the* guy. When he’s swinging the bat that way, the energy is something that is very contagious. It really helps the whole team.” Miami became the third Major League club this season to score five runs with nobody out in the first, matching Toronto (April 19) and Colorado (May 1). The last time the Marlins did that was on March 31, 2024. With two outs, Marsee pulled Perkins’ 3-1 four-seamer into a tree well over the right-field wall for a solo shot. Since his last homer on June 17, Marsee had been 5-for-46 (.109) with two doubles.