Miami Marlins blow a 4-run lead in an 8-6 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Aug. 8, 2025. Eury Pérez struggles as Drake Baldwin's homers lead the comeback.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a night that started with so much promise and ended in familiar frustration. The Miami Marlins showcased their offensive potential with a massive early surge, only to see a four-run lead evaporate in a gut-wrenching 8-6 defeat to the division-rival Atlanta Braves. The loss marks the team's ninth in their last eleven games, dropping them two games below .500.
Eury Pérez surrendered five earned runs, his highest total in a single start since July 2023, as the long ball doomed Miami's ace.
For a moment, it looked like the Marlins' offense had finally broken out of its slump. A five-run second inning had fans dreaming of a statement win, kicked off by Eric Wagaman's clutch two-run triple. Graham Pauley followed by launching a two-run homer, and Jakob Marsee capped the rally with an RBI single. When Agustín Ramírez tacked on another run in the fourth, the Marlins held a commanding 6-2 lead. But against the Braves, no lead is safe.
The turning point came on the mound. Marlins ace Eury Pérez, usually a beacon of stability, had a rare off night. He was tagged for seven hits and five earned runs over 5 1/3 innings, surrendering three home runs that kept Atlanta in the game. The Braves' comeback was completed against the bullpen, with Josh Simpson taking the loss after giving up the tying run in the seventh. Atlanta's Drake Baldwin was the primary tormentor, hitting two homers, including the decisive three-run shot in the sixth that shifted all momentum.
With the loss, the Marlins fall to 56-58 on the season. They remain in third place in the NL East, but now sit a daunting nine games behind the first-place Philadelphia Phillies. What was once a promising season is now on shaky ground, and the team needs to reverse this downward trend quickly to stay in the hunt for a Wild Card spot.
The Marlins don't have time to dwell on this collapse. They'll send Edward Cabrera (5-5, 3.24 ERA) to the mound tomorrow to face Atlanta's Bryce Elder (4-8, 6.03 ERA). It's a chance to immediately wash away the bitter taste of defeat and salvage a game in this critical divisional series. A win is desperately needed to stop the slide and keep the team's postseason hopes alive.
