The Marlins look to come out swinging against the Rockies

After a huge night at the plate against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night, the Miami Marlins look to keep swinging in Colorado.

And just like that, the Miami Marlins are a hitting machine.

Well, not exactly. The 13-7 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night proved the team could win ball games without the long ball. As the team beat a World Series contender after two straight losses to the visitor at home, can they string together wins while playing small ball in a spacious stadium like Marlins Park?

It’s a question the team will have to answer when they come back from their road trip that begins tonight in Colorado against the Rockies. Sandy Alcantara gets the ball opposite Jon Gray.

There are nights when the Marlins look as though they are turning the corner. This was such a time. Manufacturing runs was something this team was supposed to do all season, especially since there is a lack of power in the middle of the batting order.

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"“Brian Anderson, Jorge Alfaro, Lewis Brinson and Starlin Castro each drove in three runs, and the Marlins grinded out a 13-7 win over the Dodgers on Thursday at Marlins Park,” writes Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. “They used a 13-hit attack, which included five doubles and no homers, to set their season-high mark for runs at home. Their season-best for runs overall is 16 at Milwaukee on June 4.”"

Caleb Smith was on the receiving end of help this time for his eighth win of the season, going five innings while giving up one run on one hit and striking out four. But it was the men with bats who stood out in the final game of the homestand.

"“In the Marlins’ hitters meeting on Thursday, the message was to go on the attack. They didn’t want to let starter Walker Buehler (10-3, 3.31) get to two strikes, especially after he had fanned 11 Marlins in a win on July 21 in Los Angeles,” Frisaro added."

If the hit parade wasn’t enough, the team did set a bit of history for themselves. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Thursday was the first time since July 5, 2006, the franchise had four players with at least three RBIs — Miguel Cabrera had four and Dan Uggla, Josh Willingham and Wes Helms each had three.

With Alcantara taking the mound in Colorado, does Miami continue to hit the ball effectively in the rarified air? It may be tough. Since his All-Star performance, the 23-year-old has been anything but spectacular with a 6.29 ERA. He did have a no-decision against the Atlanta Braves where he pitched 7 2/3 innings and had one of his best starts of the season in his last outing.