BASEBALL: Janson Junk returns to help Marlins top Mariners for 6th straight win

Janson Junk earned the win in his first start since May 25 as the Miami Marlins defeated the visiting Seattle Mariners 8-4 on Thursday, extending their winning streak to six games.

The Marlins matched their longest winning streak of the season and have now won 16 of their last 18 home games. Seattle, meanwhile, dropped its third straight game despite home runs from Randy Arozarena and Dominic Canzone.

Miami All-Star Otto Lopez continued his outstanding season, going 1-for-3 with a two-run triple. His 127 hits before the All-Star break set a franchise record for the Marlins.

Junk (4-5), who returned after missing time with right shin inflammation, pitched five innings. He allowed three hits, four walks, and two runs, one of them earned, while striking out five.

Seattle starter Bryce Miller (4-3) took the loss after giving up season highs of nine hits, four walks, and six runs, including four earned, over five innings. His ERA increased from 1.71 to 2.18.

The Mariners opened the scoring in the second inning on an unusual sequence. Josh Naylor reached on a pop fly that dropped between Miami's infielders, stole second, and later scored after a pickoff attempt resulted in an errant throw.

Miami answered immediately in the bottom of the inning as Griffin Conine led off with a solo home run to right field. The Marlins then took a 2-1 lead when Jakob Marsee scored on Liam Hicks' RBI double.

The Marlins broke the game open with a four-run fourth inning. Marsee scored on a throwing error by rookie shortstop Colt Emerson before Lopez delivered a two-run triple. Kyle Stowers added an RBI single to give Miami a 6-1 advantage.

Arozarena trimmed the deficit with a solo home run in the fifth, but Miami added two more runs in the seventh on Marsee's RBI single and Leo Jimenez's RBI groundout.

Seattle scored twice in the eighth on Canzone's two-run homer, but the Mariners were unable to mount another comeback as Miami secured the 8-4 victory. -Field Level Media/Reuters