Dane Myers had a three-run homer and a two-run double and the visiting Miami Marlins defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 8-1 on Saturday afternoon.
Former Blue Jays minor-leaguer Griffin Conine had three hits and an RBI as the Marlins (61-100) clinched the season-ending three-game series.
Nathan Lukes hit his first career major league home run, a solo shot for the Blue Jays (74-87).
Miami right-hander Xzavion Curry (2-2) allowed one run, two hits and one walk with one strikeout in five innings.
Toronto right-hander Yariel Rodriguez (1-8) allowed three runs, four hits and two walks while striking out five in five-plus innings.
Miami scored twice in the first. Xavier Edwards and Jesus Sanchez walked. Jonah Bride knocked in a run with a single to right and Griffin Conine scored another run with a double to right that took a big hop over first baseman Spencer Horwitz.
Lukes homered to right with one out in the bottom of the first.
Brendon Little replaced Rodriguez in the sixth following Jake Burger’s leadoff single to right. Sanchez greeted Little with an infield hit to shortstop and Conine loaded the bases with a one-out single to left. Dane Myers doubled high off the right-field wall to score two runs. Erik Swanson replaced Little and allowed Jhonny Pereda’s RBI single to left. Myers was out trying to score the second run on the hit.
Toronto’s Genesis Cabrera walked Sanchez to lead off the eighth. Sanchez stole second and took third on Conine’s single. Myers followed with a blast to center for his third home run.
Miami’s Darren McCaughan allowed two hits and a walk over the final four innings to earn his second save. Alejandro Kirk popped out to end the game and was 0-for-3 with a walk, snapping an 18-game hit streak.
Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was 0-for-4 on Saturday to remain at 199 hits for the season.
With Marlins manager Skip Schumaker (family medical issue) missing the final two games of the season, bench coach Luis Urueta is running the team.
Toronto recalled right-hander Nick Robertson from Triple-A Buffalo and optioned left-hander Easton Lucas to the spring training complex. Robertson pitched a clean ninth on Saturday.
–Field Level Media
