Kyle Stowers' 22nd homer wasn't enough as the Marlins fell 2-1 to the Padres on July 22. Miami's 0-for-5 with RISP doomed a solid Eury Pérez start.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was another night, another Kyle Stowers home run, a towering 400-foot shot that has become one of the most reliable sources of excitement for Marlins fans this summer. But in a frustratingly familiar story, the solo blast was the lone bright spot on the scoreboard, as the Miami Marlins' offense sputtered with runners on base, dropping the series opener 2-1 to the San Diego Padres at loanDepot park.
The Marlins went a deflating 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, leaving a trail of missed opportunities in a one-run loss.
Kyle Stowers continued his torrid pace, launching his 22nd home run of the season in the fourth inning. The blast was his MLB-best 12th since June 22, a stretch that has seen him become one of the most feared sluggers in the game, now slashing .295/.370/.564. While Stowers provided the power, leadoff man Xavier Edwards provided the consistency, racking up three of Miami's eight hits. Unfortunately, their efforts were isolated. The rest of the lineup couldn't convert, squandering multiple chances and leaving the heroes of the night stranded in a narrative of 'what could have been.'
On the mound, young ace Eury Pérez battled through five innings. A rocky second inning saw the Padres plate two runs on RBI hits from Jackson Merrill and Martín Maldonado, which proved to be the difference-maker. Pérez (3-3) settled in after that, allowing no more runs and finishing his night with five strikeouts. However, with the offense providing just a single run of support, the early damage was irreversible, leaving Pérez with a tough-luck loss despite a respectable outing.
The Marlins will look to shake off the loss and even the series on Tuesday night. They'll hand the ball to right-hander Edward Cabrera (3-4, 3.61 ERA), who will aim to shut down the Padres' bats. He'll be opposed by San Diego's Stephen Kolek (3-4, 4.24 ERA). Miami hopes Cabrera can provide a stopper performance and that the offense can finally break through in the clutch, providing the support that was sorely missing in the opener.
The script is becoming painfully familiar: a big homer from Stowers, a solid pitching effort, but not enough clutch hitting to seal the deal. With Edward Cabrera on the mound Tuesday, the Marlins have a prime opportunity to flip that script. The question remains: can the offense finally deliver the timely hits needed to turn these tight contests into wins? All eyes will be on the batter's box to see if they can even the series.
