The Miami Marlins continued their September surge on Sunday, riding a strong outing from Eury Pérez and timely hitting from Otto Lopez to notch their sixth consecutive win, 4-2, over the Texas Rangers in Arlington.
Lopez sparked Miami’s offense with three hits, driving in a run and scoring another as the Marlins (76-80) stayed mathematically alive in the National League wild-card race. The win also marked Miami’s 10th victory in its last 11 games, a late-season run that has lifted them within four games of the final NL playoff spot.
Texas (79-77), meanwhile, is trending in the opposite direction. The Rangers dropped their seventh straight game, their longest skid of the season, further damaging their slim postseason hopes. Wyatt Langford provided the lone highlight with his 22nd home run of the year, a two-run shot in the sixth.
The Marlins took control in the middle innings against Rangers starter Merrill Kelly (12-9). In the fourth, Lopez ripped an RBI double and later scored on a single by Heriberto Hernández to make it 2-0. Miami kept the pressure on an inning later, when Jakob Marsee and Agustín Ramírez delivered back-to-back doubles for a 3-0 lead.
Langford’s two-run blast in the sixth brought the Rangers within 3-2, giving their home crowd brief hope. But Miami quickly answered in the seventh. Graham Pauley led off with a deep triple to center field, and catcher Brian Navarreto followed with a sacrifice fly to restore a two-run cushion at 4-2.
That insurance run proved pivotal, as Texas never mounted another serious threat.
Pérez, the 22-year-old phenom, struck out a season-high nine in four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and one walk while throwing 88 pitches. Lake Bachar (8-2) earned the win with two innings of relief, while George Soriano closed it out in the ninth for his first save.
10-1 Miami’s record in its last 11 games. The Marlins already have 14 more wins than they did a season ago. Texas 7 game losing streak, its longest of 2025.
Both teams enjoy a day off Monday before returning to action Tuesday night. The Marlins face a tough test against the NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies, while the Rangers return home to host the Minnesota Twins.
