ST. LOUIS – As the Marlins’ longest-tenured position player, Jesús Sánchez has seen the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. This current stretch falls in the former category.
Veteran right-hander Cal Quantrill tossed five innings and Sánchez knocked the decisive two-run homer in Wednesday night’s 2-0 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
In recording back-to-back shutouts for the first time since May 2024, Miami finished 15-10 in July, giving the club a winning record in consecutive months for the first time since June-August 2017. Since June 13, the Marlins are 27-14, tied with the Brewers for the most victories in the Majors during this span. The club has captured 10 of its past 13 series, and five in a row for the first time in eight years.
“I think it's the position where we’re at right now, that we see ourselves as a playoff team,” Sánchez said via interpreter Luis Dorante Jr. “So we have that click. It's just like the effort we're putting, that extra step that we're making right now is because of that. We want to stay, not only a little small like that, but humble, and making sure that we can succeed as a playoff team.”
Quantrill started things off by limiting the Cardinals to three hits – all singles and two of the infield variety – with two walks and three strikeouts. He cruised through the first four innings on 43 pitches before encountering trouble in a 31-pitch fifth.
St. Louis loaded the bases with one out on a Jordan Walker single and a pair of walks, but Quantrill countered with some of his fastest pitches of the season. He struck out Brendan Donovan looking on a 96.5 mph sinker (fourth-fastest) and induced a groundout to second from Iván Herrera (96.9 mph, second-fastest) to escape the jam.
“I don't know,” Quantrill said of the extra velocity. “I think a couple times a year I always can. It's not that I can't do that. It's just not really my game. Today, I felt like rearing back was probably going to help a little bit. So we did it.”
The 30-year-old Quantrill is the club’s lone expiring contract and could be a trade candidate ahead of Thursday’s 6 p.m. ET Deadline. Over his past 15 starts, he has a 3.55 ERA after posting an 8.10 ERA through his first six.
So could Sánchez, who crushed a two-run homer to straightaway center off righty Miles Mikolas’ changeup in the third. His 10th tater of the season traveled a projected 439 feet – his farthest of 2025.
Right-handers Tyler Phillips (2 1/3 IP), Ronny Henriquez (2/3 IP) and Calvin Faucher (IP) followed Quantrill in shutting down St. Louis, extending the club’s scoreless innings streak to 19 – the longest since May 21-24, 2024.
“Most proud of our ability to respond,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “I think that is something that as the year's gone along, that within games, within series, we just bounce back from whatever happens. And a really good sign this series with losing the last one in Milwaukee, not playing very well the first game here, to come back and put back-to-back shutouts and do a lot of little things very well. Again, speaks to that, and to win a number of games, continue to do what is required.”
Here’s a breakdown of one of the best Julys in franchise history:
- Miami's 15 wins are tied for second in the National League and are tied for fourth in MLB.
- The Marlins lead MLB with a 2.60 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 3.69 K/BB rate. They have walked the third-fewest batters (55).
- The starters have combined for a MLB-best 2.82 ERA.
- The bullpen ranks second in ERA (2.22), behind only the Padres (1.85 ERA).
- Miami's 2.60 ERA is the lowest July mark in club history. The previous record was held by the 2015 Marlins, who posted a 2.79 ERA. It’s also the second-best team ERA in any month in club history, behind only April 2005 (2.28 ERA).
- Miami's offense leads the NL in hits (364), ranks second in average (.259) and is tied for third in runs scored (189) during this span while outscoring their opponents 189-143 (+46 run differential).
“It's the beauty of baseball, right?” Quantrill said. “Kind of any team can do it. And I think we're playing great ball. We haven't let the rumors or the media or anyone tell us what we're capable of. I think that that approach has led to some good results, and I don't see any reason why that has to change.”