Marlins Demolish Angels Behind Griffin Conine’s Historic Two-Homer Game

The Miami Marlins didn’t just beat the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday at loanDepot park, they absolutely eviscerated them. A 12-3 final score that felt almost merciful by the end, the Marlins’ offense put on a clinic in run production that left Grayson Rodriguez and the Angels’ pitching staff gasping for air.

Conine’s Breakout Moment

Griffin Conine was the story of the afternoon. His first career multi-homer game featured two absolute moon shots that traveled a combined distance that could practically reach the clubhouse. The second blast measured 434 feet, a towering display of power that punctuated the Marlins’ offensive assault. Three RBIs in a game where Miami didn’t need any of their starters to break a sweat. This is the kind of performance that separates routine players from ones who contribute in meaningful ways.

Conine’s two-run homer in the fifth inning ignited what became the Marlins’ mercy-killing barrage. That inning alone yielded six runs, a cascade of hits and smart baserunning that exposed Rodriguez’s complete inability to escape trouble. The Angels’ starting pitcher lasted just four innings, surrendering four hits and three earned runs while walking four batters. Eight strikeouts looks nice on paper until you realize the walks and overall ineffectiveness negated any positive takeaway.

Jose Siri provided the Angels’ only bright spot with a solo home run in the second inning, his seventh of the season. It was a reminder that this Angels team possesses offensive talent, but talent without discipline and execution gets you buried by better teams. That’s exactly what happened here.

The Fifth Inning Collapse

The Marlins’ fifth inning offensive explosion was surgical in nature. Javier Sanoja delivered a two-run single that drove in Owen Caissie and Joe Mack. Kyle Stowers followed with his own two-run single through the infield, extending the lead to insurmountable proportions. Six runs on multiple quality at-bats, with no errors or cheap production required. This is how you put away inferior competition.

Sanoja’s performance cannot be overlooked. The Marlins’ utility player went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, contributing meaningfully when the game was being decided. Owen Caissie also chipped in an RBI single in the first inning, setting the early tone that Miami was the hungrier team on Sunday afternoon.

For Los Angeles, Zach Neto’s RBI double in the first inning showed their lineup could make contact against quality pitching. Nolan Schanuel’s ninth-inning RBI single was late consolation against a game already decided by the fifth frame. The Angels manufactured just three runs against a Marlins team that played fundamental baseball with excellent execution.

Michael Petersen earned the win despite pitching just one inning, a testament to how thoroughly Miami dominated. The Marlins’ bullpen was never truly tested, coasting through the final innings with a commanding lead. This was complete, convincing baseball that leaves no doubt about which team was superior on Sunday.

The Angels limped out of Miami having learned a harsh lesson about playing sloppy baseball against teams with professional at-bats and timely hitting. The Marlins, conversely, showed why consistency and execution separate contenders from pretenders.