Miami Marlins week in review: After a winning homestand, a key road trip ahead

The Miami Marlins ended their seven-game homestand on a high note, taking three of four games against the Pittsburgh Pirates after losing two of three to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Miami hoped for better than a 4-3 record this week, especially with two of their losses being by two runs after late rallies by the opponent, but a winning record will suffice nonetheless.

“You always want to win at home,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “You have to win at home.”

Especially since, for the time being, the spotlight is finally on the Marlins.

The Florida Panthers and Miami Heat playoff runs are over. Lionel Messi doesn’t start playing for Inter Miami for another month. Miami Dolphins training camp is still a month away, too.

So the Marlins need to keep finding ways to win and keep the attention on them.

And the home crowd has taken notice. The Marlins’ attendance for their final two games of the homestand against the Pirates: 24,668 on Saturday and 21,552 on Sunday. They were the largest home crowds of the season excluding Opening Day.

Winning, the Marlins hope, will help keep the crowds returning to the ballpark. Miami is third in the National League with a 45-34 record, trailing only the Atlanta Braves (50-27) and Arizona Diamondbacks (46-32).

And now they have their latest big test coming up. Miami’s final road trip before the All-Star Break features three games against the Boston Red Sox and three against the Braves. Come out of that trip .500 or better, and Miami will find itself in good position heading into a key July.

Braxton Garrett’s breakout

It was an outing to forget, and Braxton Garrett really wanted to forget it.

May 3. Home against the Atlanta Braves. His fifth start of the season after the Miami Marlins won each of the first four games he started on the mound.

Garrett had a clean first inning, retiring the top of the Braves’ vaunted lineup in order. And then, the disastrous second frame. Seven consecutive batters reached base to begin the inning. Two hit home runs, including a Marcell Ozuna hitting a grand slam. Ultimately, Garrett gave up seven runs in that frame and 11 overall in just 4 1/3 innings in the worst outing of his MLB career.

“Pitches weren’t good,” Garrett said after the outing. “Everything stunk.”

Garrett’s confidence was shaken. He was trying not to let doubt creep in. He had shown his talent before. One bad outing couldn’t erase all that had preceded it, right?

During the next couple days, catcher Jacob Stallings and shortstop Joey Wendle gave Garrett some words of encouragement.

Keep your head up. You’re a good pitcher. You will bounce back.

Simple in their message, but powerful in their impact.

“That was huge in the moment,” Garrett said, reflecting back. “I don’t think they know how big that was for me. I didn’t want to come back to the park the next day.”

Since then? Garrett has been arguably the best pitcher in the Marlins’ rotation during a time when the rotation is being tested.

Read the full feature here.

Game recaps from this week

▪ Monday — Marlins 11, Blue Jays 0: Luis Arraez had his third five-hit game of the month as Miami routed Toronto to begin the homestand.

▪ Tuesday — Blue Jays 2, Marlins 0: Eury Perez pitched a gem but the offense came up empty to snap Miami’s five-game win streak.

▪ Wednesday — Blue Jays 6, Marlins 3: Once again, one bad inning spoiled another Sandy Alcantara start and cost the Marlins.

▪ Thursday — Marlins 6, Pirates 4: The Marlins scored five runs in the eighth inning, capped by Garrett Cooper’s three-run home run, to take the series opener.

▪ Friday — Pirates 3, Marlins 1: Pittsburgh rallied in the ninth to spoil Jesus Luzardo’s gem.

▪ Saturday — Marlins 4, Pirates 3: Bryan Hoeing threw five no-hit innings and Jon Berti hit a walk-off single in the 11th inning.

▪ Sunday — Marlins 2, Pirates 0: Perez once again dominated, throwing another six shutout innings but this time getting run support as Miami clinched the four-game series against Pittsburgh.

An emotional debut for Jacob Amaya

The moment was enough to make Robert Amaya shed a tear — the first of many over an eventful day.

His son, Jacob Amaya, was about an hour away from making his MLB debut on Sunday for the Miami Marlins against the Washington Nationals. It immediately made him think back to his late father, Frank Amaya, who spent time in the Brooklyn Dodgers’ minor-league system in the 1950s and who died in May 2016.

The moment, fittingly, came on Father’s Day. Robert and his oldest son Anthony discussed the significance of the timing on their ride to the ballpark after their cross-country flight landed about two-and-a-half hours before first pitch.

“My dad has always played a big part in our baseball journey,” Robert Amaya said. “I wish he was here for it.”

Robert did what he could to keep his composure, but nothing was going to take away the joy, the excitement, and, yes, the tears that came on Sunday as he watched his youngest son take the latest and biggest step thus far of living out his dream.

Read the full story here.

In case you missed it

▪ Former Marlins manager Don Mattingly happy for Miami’s success under Schumaker, Ng.

▪ Jesus Sanchez showing consistency needed to remain a mainstay in the Marlins’ lineup.

▪ Second baseman Luis Arraez advanced to Phase 2 of fan voting for the All-Star Game.

Upcoming Marlins schedule

Monday: OFF

Tuesday: Marlins @ Red Sox, 7:10 p.m.

Wednesday: Marlins @ Red Sox, 7:10 p.m.

Thursday: Marlins @ Red Sox, 6:10 p.m.

Friday: Marlins @ Braves, 7:20 p.m.

Saturday: Marlins @ Braves, 4:10 p.m.

Sunday: Marlins @ Braves, 1:35 p.m.