Kyle Stowers’ scorching stretch at the plate reached new heights Friday night at loanDepot park, as the Miami Marlins outfielder belted a dramatic two-run walk-off home run in the 10th inning to cap an 8–7 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
Stowers, a first-time All-Star this season, wasted no time adding to his recent power surge. In the first inning, he launched a three-run homer to right — his fourth in just two games — tying a franchise record. But it was his final swing of the night that sent the home crowd into a frenzy: a 394-foot shot off Royals reliever Carlos Estévez (4–3) that turned a one-run deficit into a Marlins win.
Stowers finished 3-for-5, extended his on-base streak to 10 consecutive plate appearances (matching another club record), and notched the second walk-off homer of his young career.
“It feels good to keep it going, but it feels even better to do it in a win,” Stowers said afterward. “The way the guys battled all night — we deserved that one.”
The game had looked comfortable early for Miami. After Stowers’ first-inning blast, the Marlins built a 5–0 lead behind 2022 Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara. But Alcantara, still regaining form after missing all of 2024 following Tommy John surgery, ran into trouble in the fourth.
Kansas City answered with a four-run frame, highlighted by rookie John Rave’s first major league homer — a three-run shot that brought the Royals within 5–4. Alcantara yielded hits to three of the first four batters that inning, and the Royals never went away.
In the ninth, Rave stunned the crowd again, crushing the game-tying solo homer off Marlins reliever Calvin Faucher to force extras.
Kansas City then briefly seized control in the top of the 10th. Pinch-hitter Adam Frazier doubled to right off Miami’s Lake Bachar (5–0), driving in automatic runner Jonathan India and Bobby Witt Jr., who had reached on an infield single, to make it 7–5.
But Miami responded quickly. Agustín Ramírez singled home automatic runner Derek Hill to cut the deficit to one, setting the stage for Stowers’ heroics.
The Marlins now have seven walk-off wins this season. The series continues Saturday night, with Royals right-hander Michael Wacha (4–9, 3.74 ERA) slated to face Marlins righty Cal Quantrill (3–8, 5.62 ERA).
For now, though, the night belonged to Stowers — and to a Marlins club that refused to let another game slip away.
