Max Meyer showcased why he’s a rising star in the league with a stellar performance Friday night, as the Marlins blanked the Cardinals 4-0 at Busch Stadium. With seven scoreless innings under his belt, Meyer continues to make a compelling case for his first All-Star nod. This victory didn't just keep him unbeaten but also allowed him to tie a franchise record for consecutive wins in a single season, joining the ranks of Liván Hernández and Pat Rapp.
The Marlins are riding high, four games above .500, which ties their season high and marks their best standing this late in the season since 2023. Winning seven of their last eight games, Miami is clearly on a roll.
Meyer was in command from the get-go, breezing through the first six innings with just 66 pitches and five strikeouts. His sweeper was the star of the show, accounting for four of those strikeouts, while his slider took care of the fifth. The Cardinals didn’t even sniff second base until the seventh inning, showcasing Meyer’s dominance.
In a fascinating twist, Meyer’s sweeper has become his weapon of choice. Once his least-used pitch in 2025, he's now tripled its usage, and it's paying dividends. Opponents’ batting averages against this pitch have plummeted, making it a nightmare for hitters.
The Cardinals did make things interesting in the seventh. After Meyer hit Iván Herrera and walked Alec Burleson, the bases were loaded following a fielder's choice and another walk. But Meyer coolly navigated the storm, getting Masyn Winn to ground out and Nathan Church to line out, escaping unscathed.
The game was a nail-biting pitchers' duel until the eighth inning when Graham Pauley, fresh from Triple-A Jacksonville, delivered the game-changing hit. Pauley’s RBI double down the right-field line broke the deadlock, scoring Esteury Ruiz, who had set the stage with a single and a stolen base.
Just as the momentum was shifting, the skies threatened with a rain delay. Despite no rain, the third-base umpire called for the tarp, halting play for 27 minutes. But the Marlins didn’t let that slow them down.
When play resumed, Xavier Edwards drew a walk to load the bases, and Kyle Stowers hit a ground ball to first. Pauley’s daring slide home was initially called out, but a replay review overturned the decision, adding another run to Miami’s tally.
It was a night where the Marlins showed their mettle, with Meyer leading the charge and the team rallying to extend their lead. As the season progresses, Miami looks like a team that’s finding its stride at just the right time.
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There is still a little frustration tucked into the success, though, because the week was good enough to feel even better. Miami opened the Cardinals set with two wins before dropping the finale, and after a Sunday loss, the club now moves into a four-game series against Colorado with Sandy Alcantara lined up for the opener. The results are adding up, but the Marlins are still looking for the kind of complete week that leaves no nagging what-ifs behind. [Read more 🡒]