It felt like the Miami Marlins were being haunted by the ghosts of their past on Saturday.

Jesus Luzardo, making his second start in Miami since being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies last December, looked phenomenal.

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The 27-year-old left-hander allowed two runs in six innings, striking out eight in a 4-2 win over the Marlins.

It was the kind of performance Luzardo flashed during his time in Miami that earned him a start in Game 1 of the 2023 National League Wild Card series and opening day of 2024, replacing ace Sandy Alcantara after he underwent Tommy John surgery in September 2023.

The Parkland Stoneman Douglas alumnus had a 3.48 ERA in 2022 and 2023, but was marred by an injury-plagued 2024 that saw his ERA balloon to 5.00 in 12 starts. He missed time in late May and early April with left elbow tightness and returned for just five weeks before a stress fracture in his lumbar shut him down for the year.

The Marlins traded him to Philadelphia for outfielder Emaarion Boyd and shortstop Starlyn Caba this past offseason

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.Six of Luzardo’s strikeouts Saturday were on his sweeper, which he began throwing when he arrived in Philadelphia

“I think it’s developed just being able to throw it in different areas of the zone, both sides, lefties and righties, being able to use it in different counts and understand what it’s going to do at times,” Luzardo said. “A couple of games ago, I hit a couple guys in the back foot. It’s going to happen. But for the most part, I feel like I have really good command and feel for it.”

The Marlins whiffed on 10 of his sweepers Saturday.

“You’re going to get some misses there with the sweeper and changeup that he can throw down below the zone,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “And I think he did a good job of getting some strikes at the bottom of the zone, which opens up for some expansion off of that.”

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This was also the first time Luzardo went head-to-head with the man he often followed in the rotation order for a few years in one of baseball’s best 1-2 punches during that time.

Alcantara did not fare as well as Luzardo on Saturday, but Philadelphia’s damage against him largely came in just two frames – a two-run home run from Bryce Harper in the first, followed by an RBI single from Harrison Bader and sacrifice fly from Bryson Stott in the fourth.

“Obviously, Sandy is a great leader and a great pitcher over there, so it was great,” Luzardo said. I like going to battle. He’s such a good competitor. My hat’s off to him.”

Those four Phillies runs were all they needed. As much as the Marlins’ bullpen of Cade Gibson and Christian Roa kept Miami in the game with no runs allowed over the final three innings, the Marlins offense couldn’t get going.

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The Marlins had their chance to do something in the seventh inning. Maximo Acosta banged a leadoff double off the center-field wall. After Otto Lopez grounded out to third, slugging catcher Agustin Ramirez represented the tying run with one out. Acosta dashed for third base at the beginning of the at-bat, and was thrown out by catcher J.T. Realmuto. Ramirez would ground out to third base, ending whatever threat they built against Philadelphia.

“No problem with the aggressiveness,” McCullough said. “It’s more about taking us through the thought process. What did you have on Robertson? What did you feel like your jump was like? It’s more asking those questions and less about it being so black and white where ‘you were out, so it wasn’t a great decision with (Ramirez) hitting and down two’, whereas if he’s safe, then it’s just automatically a great play.”