ARLINGTON, Texas _ Perhaps everybody should have seen it coming, the way the Miami Marlins' 22-10 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday started, when Dee Gordon launched the first pitch of the game from Rangers righty Yu Darvish nearly 400 feet into the stands in right field for a home run.
But that was just the beginning. No one could have predicted or expected what ensued, the most prolific offensive night the Marlins have ever had.
Highlighted by a nine-run fourth inning, Miami's 22 runs were a new franchise record. Every Marlins starting position player had at least one hit and at least one RBI.
The night was a good one for padding batting averages and slugging percentages.
Giancarlo Stanton hit a ball 468 feet to left-center for his 33rd homer of the year, tops in the majors. Marcell Ozuna, who drove in five runs, became the first Marlin ever to double and triple in an inning when he did it in the fourth. J.T. Realmuto homered to cap that big frame, his 11th of the season, matching his career-high total from last year. Christian Yelich had three doubles and a homer, giving him seven extra-base hits in his past two games.
Derek Dietrich, enduring the worst season of his major league career, matched Ozuna with five RBIs. Ichiro Suzuki went 2 for 3, walked three times and scored three times.
Among the Marlins' victims: Darvish, considered a trade target of at least a couple of contenders, who allowed a career-high 10 runs.
Reliever Jason Grilli pitched one-third of an inning and allowed four runs, including one on Stanton's homer, celebrated with fist pumps and a couple of hops on his way to first base _ an overzealous celebration one night after a similar show of emotion from Grilli after he struck out Stanton.
Catcher Brett Nicholas pitched the ninth inning for Texas. He allowed five runs. Among his offerings: a 45-mph curveball to Ichiro.
Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre, he of 2,996 career hits, was ejected in the eighth inning. Second-base umpire asked Beltre to stand in the on-deck circle as opposed to a few feet to its left, and Beltre responded by dragging the on-deck circle to his original spot.
The Marlins pitched Wednesday night, too, believe it or not. Jose Urena allowed five runs in five innings.
