Owen Caissie’s big game leads Marlins to series-opening win over Giants
Owen Caissie had three hits and a sacrifice fly, finishing a triple shy of the cycle, to lead the Miami Marlins to a 4-3 win over the San Francisco Giants on Friday at loanDepot park to begin a three-game series.
The Marlins improve to 38-38 and are an MLB-best 12-4 in June.
Caissie hit a solo home run in the first inning — a 401-foot shot to straightaway center field off a down-and-in cutter from Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp — before adding a two-out bunt single in the third inning and an RBI double in the fifth and sacrifice, both of which plated Javier Sanoja.
It was Caissie’s third three-hit game of the season and first since April 9 against the Cincinnati Reds. It was also his third game with three RBI, matching his output on April 9 against the Reds and June 10 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The home run was Caissie’s second in as many games, his third this month, and eighth of the season.
And the game overall is the latest in a mini stretch of recent success. After starting the month hitless through his first six games, going a combined 0 for 14 with eight strikeouts and three walks to dip his season batting average to .215, Caissie is hitting .272 (6 for 22) since June 10. Five of his six hits in this stretch — all but the bunt single in the third inning Friday — have gone for extra bases (three home runs, two doubles).
The Giants answered shortly after each of Caissie’s first two run-scoring hits.
San Francisco tied the game at 1-1 in the second following Caissie’s home run on a Daniel Susac sacrifice fly after loading the bases on three consecutive singles against Lake Bachar, who opened Miami’s bullpen game. The Giants then took the lead for good with a two-run sixth inning after Caissie’s double when Rafael Devers hit a solo home run against Michael Petersen and Casey Schmitt hit an RBI single against Tyler Zuber.
But Miami retook the lead in the seventh on a Liam Hicks RBI single and Caissie’s sacrifice fly. The inning started with Esteury Ruiz being hit by a pitch and Sanoja laying down a bunt hit to put two runners on with no outs.
Eight Marlins pitchers, none recording more than five outs, combined to hold the Giants to three runs. Bachar, John King and Anthony Bender each went 1 1/3 innings to get through the fourth. Petersen pitched a scoreless fifth before giving up the home run in the sixth. Zuber then recorded two outs. Cade Gibson went 1 2/3 innings before setup man Calvin Faucher (2/3 inning) and closer Pete Fairbanks (one inning) capped the win.
The save was the 100th of Fairbanks’ career and his 10th of the season.
Game 2 of the series is at 4:10 p.m. Saturday. Max Meyer (7-0, 2.75 ERA) will be on the mound for Miami opposite San Francisco’s Trevor McDonald (2-4, 4.64 ERA).
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