During the 60-game shortened 2020 season, each contest was magnified. The Miami Marlins would go on to make the postseason for the first time in 17 years.
One big reason for Miami’s success was the way it played in doubleheaders. During a bizarre COVID-themed season without fans, the Marlins played seven doubleheaders. They swept three and salvaged a split in the other four.
One of those sweeps came on this day five years ago. In a pair of pivotal seven-inning contests against the New York Mets, Miami left Citi Field with a pair of shutouts.
Just a game and a half separated the Marlins and Mets as the teams met on Aug. 25, 2020. The night started with a 4-0 victory.
Although he didn’t factor in the decision, Daniel Castano gave Miami 4 ⅔ strong innings on the mound. Richard Bleier was able to strand two in the fifth before Brad Boxberger and Brandon Kintzler each followed with scoreless innings.
For Miami, the offense came early. Batting as the home team, the Marlins got the scoring started with three runs in the second—thanks to a pair of two-out singles. After Lewis Brinson drove home Brian Anderson for the game’s first run, Miguel Rojas capped a brilliant six-pitch at-bat with a two-run single to make it 3-0. Lewin DÃaz singled home Anderson in the third to cap the scoring.
Anderson and Brinson each finished with two hits of the six hits for the Marlins. Anderson doubled twice. J.D. Davis and Michael Conforto each had two knocks for the Mets.
In the second game, the story was Trevor Rogers. In his big-league debut, Rogers allowed just a hit while scattering five walks and striking out six in four innings as Miami won, 3-0.
Again batting as the home team as a result of contests scheduled for Miami having to be postponed, the Marlins finally broke the scoreless tie in the fourth on Anderson’s two-run double that scored Jon Berti and Corey Dickerson. Josh A. Smith gave Miami two scoreless innings out of the bullpen to pick up the win.
Despite slipping between third base and the plate, Berti capped the scoring in the bottom of the sixth by stealing home. Nick Vincent induced the second double play in as many innings in the top of the seventh to face the minimum and collect the save.
The Marlins would go on to finish 31-29 and sweep the Chicago Cubs in the National League Wild Card Series in 2020. Despite Miami finishing five games better than the Mets, New York won six of the 10 regular season meetings between the teams. Three of those four victories for Miami came at Citi Field, including two by way of shutout on this day five years ago.