The Miami Marlins difficult summer took another painful turn Sunday afternoon as they let a three-run lead slip away in a 5-3 loss to the San Diego Padres, extending their franchise-record losing streak to 12 games.
Despite an encouraging start and another strong outing from starter Janson Junk, Miami’s bullpen faltered late as the Padres erupted for four runs in the eighth inning to complete the comeback before a disappointed crowd of 21,675.
San Diego’s veteran stars delivered when it mattered most. Manny Machado blasted a game-tying two-run home run in the eighth inning before Jackson Merrill followed moments later with a go-ahead solo homer that stunned the home crowd. Machado also doubled home a run earlier in the game, while Luis Rengifo continued his productive afternoon with a double, a single, and a run scored. Ty France added two hits to help fuel the Padres’ offense.
The Marlins appeared to be in control early against Padres starter Walker Buehler. Miami grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning after Buehler issued back-to-back walks to Liam Hicks and Griffin Conine. Hicks aggressively stole third base before racing home on catcher Luis Campusano’s throwing error, while Graham Pauley’s RBI single scored Conine later in the inning.
Kyle Stowers added to the advantage in the third, launching a leadoff home run to give Miami a 3-0 cushion. Buehler settled in after the rocky start, allowing just three runs—two earned—on four hits over 5⅓ innings. The veteran right-hander struck out seven and walked two to keep San Diego within striking distance.
The Padres finally broke through in the sixth when Machado ripped an RBI double off Marlins starter Janson Junk, trimming the deficit to 3-1.
Junk turned in one of his better performances of the season, allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out seven before exiting after 5⅔ innings. Miami’s bullpen then suffered both physically and on the scoreboard.
Reliever Michael Petersen entered after Junk departed but exited after recording the final out of the fifth inning when Ty France’s comebacker struck him on the right forearm. The ball deflected toward catcher Joe Mack, who recovered to throw France out at first. Petersen was diagnosed with a right forearm contusion.
The decisive eighth inning belonged entirely to San Diego. Facing reliever Lake Bachar (1-2), Rengifo doubled and later scored on Luis Campusano’s RBI single. Machado then crushed a two-run homer to tie the game at 3-3 before Merrill followed immediately with a solo blast that gave the Padres their first lead of the afternoon.
The late collapse drew audible boos from the frustrated Miami fans as another winnable game slipped away.
Wandy Peralta (2-2) earned the victory after recording the final three outs of the seventh inning. Adrian Morejon tossed a scoreless eighth before closer Mason Miller slammed the door in the ninth for his 27th save of the season.
For Miami, the defeat continued a historic skid. The Marlins have now lost 12 consecutive games, surpassing the franchise’s previous longest losing streaks of 11 games, set once in 2011 and twice during the 1998 season. The club has not celebrated a victory since defeating the Seattle Mariners 8-4 on July 9.
The loss also wasted another solid effort from the Marlins’ pitching staff for much of the afternoon, as Junk kept one of the National League’s most dangerous lineups in check before the bullpen unraveling.
San Diego, meanwhile, continues to strengthen its postseason position by showcasing the resilience that has defined its season. After trailing by three runs early, the Padres remained patient before their stars delivered in the game’s biggest moments.
The Padres return home Tuesday to open a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies, with right-hander Michael King (6-7, 3.24 ERA) scheduled to start.
The Marlins will try to end their franchise-record losing streak Monday night when they begin a three-game home series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Right-hander Tyler Phillips (2-5, 3.52 ERA) is expected to take the mound in the opener.
