Miami Topples Pittsburgh, as The Fish Streak Toward the Wild Card
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After falling back in the Wild Card race due to an unusual 12-game losing streak in mid-July, the Miami Marlins have had a never-say-die attitude in August. They continued to follow that same mentality on Wednesday, as they routed the Pittsburgh Pirates, 8-2, at loanDepot Park.
It was a total team effort, with starter Janson Junk tossing six innings and allowing just one earned run, while striking out two batters and walking one. Griffin Conine and Heriberto Hernandez both went deep for the Marlins, while relievers Tyler Zuber, Calvin Faucher and Victor Vodnik threw the final three innings out of the bullpen to seal an important win for the Fish.
Four in-a-row 😤 pic.twitter.com/eyrSaspOlU
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) August 13, 2026
The victory marks the Marlins' fourth straight, as they sit just 1.5 games behind both their division rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies and the West Division's Arizona Diamondbacks, for the final spot in the National League Wild Card race. It's an area they used to occupy, before letting it drip away in a sweat-soaked July.
Can the Marlins Still Spear a Spot?
The Marlins will look to sweep the series when the two squads meet up again today at 1:10 to wrap up this set. As they rack up wins over teams who are right there with them in the Wild Card chase, it only helps put some distance between the Fish and the rest of the pack.
Which, prior to the 2026 season beginning, seemed like long odds. The Marlins are in a position they weren't expected to be in until at least next year. Instead, this collection of burgeoning youth talent finds itself under fire before they've barely had the chance to unpack in the big leagues.
Because of their earlier-than-expected rise, Miami's president of baseball operations, Peter Bendix, mostly decided to stay the course at the MLB Trade Deadline. Bendix went into the August 3 date stating that the team would listen to offers on all its players, but barring a blowaway proposal, the Fish would be standing pat.
“I believed in this team even after the 12-game losing streak... We know that we have a chance to make the playoffs this year. We believe in this team with the opportunity to make the playoffs this year. We also believe that the best is yet to come for the Marlins.”
Marlins fans see it the same way and are starting to feel a fever. Not because August has been unbearable, but because their team has buckled down and gotten themselves back into the thick of things down the stretch. They are in the midst of a good type of streak now, and one that could help fuel their drive to the postseason.
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