On his 28th birthday, Jake Burger delivered a memorable gift to the Miami Marlins with a crucial three-run homer, propelling them to a 5-2 triumph over the New York Yankees on Wednesday night, marking only their second victory of the season.
Ryan Weathers (1-1) showcased his prowess on the mound, surrendering just three hits and three walks across five scoreless innings for the Marlins. This stellar performance earned Weathers his first major league win in nearly a year, a significant milestone since his last victory against the New York Mets on April 11 of the previous year.
The win was a much-needed boost for the Marlins, who had stumbled to a 2-11 record, equalling the team’s worst 12-game start recorded back in 1998. Conversely, the defeat halted the Yankees’ four-game winning streak, dropping their season record to 10-3.
Giancarlo Stanton added to the Yankees’ offensive efforts with a solo homer in the sixth inning off Bryan Hoeing, marking his fourth home run of the season and his first against his former team, the Marlins. This accomplishment also solidified Stanton’s feat of homering against all 30 Major League Baseball clubs.
In the eighth inning, Juan Soto managed to narrow the gap to 4-2 with an RBI double, providing a glimmer of hope for the Yankees. However, Tanner Scott navigated through a tense situation, escaping a two-on jam by inducing a popup from Anthony Rizzo and striking out Gleyber Torres.
Tim Anderson’s savvy baserunning paid off in the ninth inning, as he sprinted home from second base on Nick Fortes’ grounder, extending the Marlins’ lead. Scott then sealed the victory by retiring Aaron Judge on a game-ending flyout with the bases loaded, securing the Marlins’ first save of the season.
On the pitching front for the Yankees, Marcus Stroman (1-1) endured a tough outing, conceding four runs, four hits, and four walks over five innings on a chilly evening. This marked a stark contrast to his previous performances, where he had not allowed an earned run in 12 innings across his first two starts.
The game wasn’t short of drama, as Yankees manager Aaron Boone was ejected in the seventh inning following a dispute over a called strike to Alex Verdugo. This marked Boone’s first ejection of the season and his 34th in his tenure as New York’s manager.
Looking ahead, the Marlins’ left-hander Trevor Rogers (0-1, 5.40 ERA) is slated to take the mound in Friday night’s series opener against the Atlanta Braves. Meanwhile, the Yankees will send right-hander Clarke Schmidt (0-0, 4.66 ERA) to face the Cleveland Guardians in their upcoming series opener, with RHP Carlos Carrasco (0-0, 4.50 ERA) set to start for Cleveland.