MIAMI — Otto Lopez became the first Marlin since Luis Arraez in 2023 to lead the Majors in hits (91) and batting average (.342) this deep into a season, pacing an 8-0 shutout of the Arizona Diamondbacks at loanDepot park that gave Miami its third straight series win — a first for the 2026 club.
The Marlins (33-35) have won four games in a row, tying a season high, and seven of their last eight after a five-game skid two weeks ago dropped them to a season-low eight games below .500. Lopez broke a scoreless tie in the third with an RBI single, then added a second RBI knock during a six-run fourth inning. His 28 multi-hit performances pace MLB, and he entered the night with the highest fWAR (2.7) among NL shortstops.
“It feels amazing, what I’m doing,” Lopez said. “It happened in the Minor Leagues, but I get to see it as a Major Leaguer now, and seeing that, it’s great to see that, and take the whole team with it. And even more, like I wish we continue to do the great job that we’ve been doing to just go to the playoffs.”
The six-run fourth blew the game open. Owen Caissie lined a two-run homer before Kyle Stowers crushed a three-run blast to the second deck — a 425-foot shot at 110.8 mph exit velocity, both season highs. Stowers, Miami’s lone All-Star in 2025, has driven in at least one run in five of his eight games this month after a slow start that left him with a .664 OPS through May.
“Having Kyle get going and putting together really terrific at-bats, driving in runs, supplying some power, [it’s] only going to help lengthen out our lineup, make us more dangerous,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “Getting Kyle swinging the bat like this would be a big thing for us.”
Ryan Gusto delivered four scoreless innings in his first traditional start of the season, allowing three hits — all singles — with one walk and four strikeouts. A 28-pitch first inning looked dicey when Arizona put runners on the corners with one out, but Gusto struck out Nolan Arenado on a sweeper and froze Pavin Smith with a 96.2 mph four-seamer to end the threat. He then retired eight consecutive batters before a leadoff walk to Gabriel Moreno in the fourth. After Geraldo Perdomo singled to put two runners on with two outs, Gusto induced a pop out to second.
“Definitely trying to strike everyone out,” Gusto said. “You don’t want to give up any runs if at all possible.” McCullough confirmed Gusto would pitch again in some capacity for his next turn, whether as a bulk option or starter, as the Marlins navigate a makeshift rotation with right-handers Janson Junk and Eury Pérez rehabbing injuries and lefty Robby Snelling out until mid-2027.
“Go on a streak like this, and you win multiple series in a row, it generally takes kind of clicking in all facets,” McCullough said. “Right now, [we’ve] been able to pitch well, and offensively do what’s required, and to take the outs that are provided.”