Marlins' Losing Streak Reaches Seven With Loss to Astros
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The Miami Marlins showed enough power to make Monday’s series opener competitive, but one damaging inning extended their losing streak.
Miami allowed six runs in the second inning and fell 8-5 to the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. The defeat was the Marlins’ seventh straight and dropped them to 52-49, pushing them out of the final National League wild-card position.
Joe Mack gave Miami an early advantage after Jakob Marsee drew a two-out walk in the second. Mack drove Ronel Blanco’s pitch 409 feet to right field for his eighth home run, putting the Marlins ahead 2-0.
That lead disappeared quickly. Taylor Trammell opened Houston’s response with an RBI single before Jeremy Peña turned a 2-1 deficit into a 5-2 advantage with his second career grand slam. Yordan Alvarez followed with a solo home run, completing a six-run inning against Janson Junk.
Junk remained in the game through four innings but allowed six runs on five hits and three walks. Blanco, making his first start since May 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, struck out eight over 4 2/3 innings despite allowing two home runs.
Liam Hicks gave the Marlins a response in the fourth, hitting a two-run home run to cut the margin to 6-4. It was his team-leading 14th homer, while his 60 RBIs also paced Miami. Hicks has remained one of the club’s most reliable run producers during an otherwise difficult stretch of games.
Alvarez Keeps Triple Crown Push Moving
Alvarez ensured Miami never completed its comeback. He added another solo home run against Lake Bachar in the fifth and finished 3-for-4, recording his fifth multi-homer game of the campaign.
The performance moved Alvarez into the American League lead with a .324 batting average, 33 home runs and 75 RBIs, putting him firmly in the Triple Crown conversation. After injuries disrupted much of his 2025 campaign, Alvarez has reestablished himself as one of baseball’s best hitters and could finish the year with one of the most impressive offensive seasons in recent history.
Alvarez has been especially dangerous in July, posting a .382/.453/.836 slash line with seven home runs and 15 RBIs. Houston needed that production after entering Monday on a four-game losing streak and struggling to generate consistent offense.
Miami received a ninth-inning RBI single from Heriberto Hernández but could not complete the rally against Josh Hader. The Marlins’ skid has increased the importance of every remaining game as the club fights to remain in the playoff race.
Tyler Phillips will try to stop the slide Tuesday against Tatsuya Imai. Phillips enters with a 2-4 record and 3.48 ERA, while Imai carries a 5-4 record and 6.06 ERA. Miami needs a stable start to keep the series from slipping away, while Houston can build momentum before beginning a road series against the Chicago White Sox.
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Wesley Dixon is a sports writer focused on thoughtful analysis, roster-building angles, player development and feature-style storytelling. He has covered the Philadelphia 76ers and the NBA, with work centered on breaking down team direction, player fit and the larger stories behind the game. Wesley is a lifelong MLB fan, following multiple teams throughout the league. He is excited to bring that same detail-oriented approach to On SI.