Griffin Conine mashed a 434-foot, two-run home run in a six-run fifth inning and later added a solo shot, leading the host Miami Marlins to a 12-3 win over the Angels on Sunday afternoon.
Miami’s Kyle Stowers, an All-Star last year, was removed from the game in the fifth with left hamstring discomfort.
On the positive side for the Marlins, Conine and Javier Sanoja each drove in a game-high three runs to help secure a series victory.
Reliever Michael Peterson (2-2) pitched one scoreless inning after starter Ryan Gusto was lifted after four innings, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk with four strikeouts.
Angels starter Grayson Rodriguez (3-5) gave up four runs (three earned) on four hits and four walks with eight strikeouts in four innings. His ERA sits at 7.20.
The Angels opened the scoring in the first as Nolan Schanuel drew a two-out walk and scored on Zach Neto’s bloop double. Center fielder Jakob Marsee took an initial step back then charged forward, dove and deflected the ball away from shortstop Otto Lopez, allowing Schanuel to score on a close play at the plate that Miami asked for a challenge. The initial call was upheld.
Miami came back to score three runs in the bottom of the first as Rodriguez needed 35 pitches to escape the frame. The rally started with a Stowers triple and a walk to Xavier Edwards. Stowers scored on a wild pitch on a close play as the Angels’ challenge failed.
Lopez then beat out an infield hit. Schanuel threw high to try to get Edwards at third. Edwards scored on the error, and Owen Caissie capped the inning with a broken-bat RBI single.
The Angels closed their deficit to 3-2 in the second on Jose Siri’s home run on a 3-1 fastball down the middle of the plate. Siri’s blast went 413 feet to center with a 107.2-mph exit velocity.
Rodriguez struggled again in the fourth, walking the first two before Sanoja grounded a one-out RBI single to left. Rodriguez limited the damage with a pair of strikeouts.
Miami broke the game open in the fifth off reliever Shaun Anderson. Conine (homer), Sanoja (single) and Stowers (single) each drove in two runs in the inning as Miami grabbed a 10-2 lead.
The Marlins scored a run in both the seventh and eighth, then the Angels put one more on the board in the ninth.
