Marlins go streaking with 5th-straight win

The Miami Marlins extended their season-best winning streak to five games with a 9-8 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night at Chase Field, ending a six-game losing streak against the Diamondbacks that dates back to last season. Powered by home runs from Kyle Stowers, Heriberto Hernandez, and Otto Lopez, Miami improved to 10-4 over its last 14 games.

Stowers launched a go-ahead solo homer to open the sixth inning, chasing Arizona starter Merrill Kelly from the game. It was Stowers’ 13th home run of the season, which is tops on the team, and his third blast in five days following a 31-game drought. The Marlins are now 16-6 when Stowers drives in a run this year.

Lopez went three-for-five with a homer, extending his hitting streak to eight games. He is batting 15-for-32 with 10 RBIs during that span. Lopez also scored twice, along with Connor Norby, who added two hits of his own.

The Marlins’ offense notched 13 hits, marking five straight games with double-digit hits, including eight that went for extra bases. Miami didn’t collect its first hit until there were two outs in the fourth inning but then strung together three consecutive doubles. Agustín Ramírez ripped a double with an exit velocity of 116.9 mph, the hardest-hit ball of his career, to drive in Lopez and put Miami up 2-1.

Starter Eury Pérez threw a season-high 93 pitches in 4.1 innings, allowing three runs on two hits while walking three and striking out three. Ronny Henriquez, one of six pitchers used by Miami, allowed one run in 1.1 innings.

Kelly, who retired the first 11 batters he faced for the Diamondbacks, exited after giving up five runs (three earned) in five-plus innings, striking out seven and walking one. Defensive miscues undermined his start, with errors by Josh Naylor and Kelly himself contributing to a three-run Marlins fourth inning, despite there being no hard-hit balls.

The Diamondbacks hit three home runs, with Jake McCarthy, Geraldo Perdomo, and Alek Thomas going deep, and they nearly completed a ninth-inning comeback. Down 9-5, Arizona loaded the bases with no outs. After a walk forced in a run and a two-run single by Pavin Smith trimmed the lead to one, Tim Tawa grounded into a double play to end the game.

The win not only ended the Diamondbacks’ impressive run of 10 wins in their last 15 games, but it also helped the Marlins to keep their own momentum going in a crowded National League race. The two teams will be back in action on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET, as Miami will be going for their sixth-straight win and a series victory over Arizona.