Troy Johnston and Connor Norby delivered the decisive blows for the surging Miami Marlins, hitting back-to-back solo home runs with two outs in the sixth inning to lift their team to a 4-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night.
Johnston, who also drove in a run with an RBI single earlier, turned on a first-pitch curveball from rookie Jack Leiter (9-10) and sent it just over the right-field wall to break a 2-all tie. Norby followed by pulling a 1-0 slider over the left-field fence, providing just enough insurance for a Miami team that has suddenly found its stride.
The win was Miami’s fifth in a row and 10th in its last 13 games, improving the Marlins to 75-80. They also improved to 39-38 on the road, putting themselves in position to finish with a winning road record for just the third time in franchise history.
Rookie Cade Gibson (4-5) earned the win in relief with two scoreless innings, while closer Calvin Faucher survived a shaky ninth to record his 15th save. Faucher allowed a leadoff homer to Kyle Higashioka that trimmed Miami’s lead to one and then put the tying runs on second and third, but he escaped to seal the victory.
Miami starter Adam Mazur pitched four innings in his sixth attempt at a first career win, surrendering two runs in the third inning. Alejandro Osuna and Rowdy Tellez delivered back-to-back RBI singles in the frame, briefly giving the Rangers a lead. The Marlins tied it in the fourth when Eric Wagman lifted a sacrifice fly to score Norby.
Texas (79-76) has now dropped six straight games, matching its longest losing streak of the season. The loss officially eliminated the defending World Series champions from the AL West race, and they now sit five games back in the wild-card hunt. Frustration boiled over in the eighth inning when Rangers manager Bruce Bochy was ejected after arguing with plate umpire Cody Freeman.
Key Moment: Johnston’s first-pitch homer in the sixth came after Leiter had retired the first two Marlins on just seven pitches. Instead of a quick inning, the rookie was tagged for two homers in a span of three pitches.
Up Next: The Marlins and Rangers wrap up the three-game series Sunday afternoon. Miami will send right-hander Eury Pérez (7-5, 4.40 ERA) to the mound against Texas right-hander Merrill Kelly (12-8, 3.46).
