MIAMI — Just ten days removed from the World Baseball Classic at loanDepot park — where countries like Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and the United States played for something far bigger than a regular season — the ballpark felt different Friday night.
With the roof open and the city finally let back into the game, the stage had shifted from global stakes to 162-game grind. But not immediately. Miami waited — forty-eight hours after Major League Baseball opened its season under the national spotlight in San Francisco on Netflix — for its turn.
And when it finally came, it felt like no one had waited longer than the players themselves.
“I was tired after the eleven pitch at-bat, I’ll tell you that,” Connor Norby said in the on-field postgame, adding that after weeks of feeling ready, “I wish Opening Day was a week ago.”
Xavier Edwards reached to spark the rally before Owen Caissie — making his Marlins debut after a late lineup adjustment — stepped in and worked through a tough sequence. After falling behind in a breaking-ball-heavy mix, Caissie stayed back on an 84.5 mph sweeper and drove it into center field for an RBI double, scoring the first run of Miami’s season.
Javier Sanoja followed immediately, lining a ground ball into left to bring Caissie home and extend the lead to 2–0.
Sanoja finished 3-for-3, accounting for three of Miami’s eight hits in a controlled offensive performance.
Miami Marlins’ Owen Caissie scores in the second inning on a single hit by Javier Sanoja during the second inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Alcantara in Control, Defense Changes the Game
Sandy Alcantara delivered exactly what Miami needed — and what Opening Day often demands.
The Marlins’ ace worked seven innings, allowing just one unearned run while striking out five, continuing his return to form after a turbulent 2025 season.
As has often been the case throughout his career, Alcantara did not receive much run support. Instead, he was backed by defense — and one defining moment in the fourth inning.
With Colorado threatening, Hunter Goodman sent a line drive into right field, but Austin Slater charged and delivered a perfect throw to the plate to cut down Jake McCarthy, preserving Miami’s lead in a play that ultimately defined the game.
Newbie Austin Slater throws out the runner at the plate.
92.5 mph arm strength#Marlins pic.twitter.com/RQcnqKBnhX
— Christina De Nicola (@CDeNicola13) March 28, 2026
Nardi’s Return Adds Weight to the Night
Beyond the box score, one of the night’s most meaningful moments came in the eighth inning.
Andrew Nardi returned to a major league mound for the first time in 583 days, following a long recovery from elbow and back injuries that sidelined him for much of the past two seasons.
Nardi struck out two batters in a high-leverage spot, showing both velocity and command in a critical moment that helped bridge the game to the late innings.
It was a reminder that Opening Day is not just about results — it’s about returns.
Bender Escapes, Fairbanks Finishes
The game’s highest-leverage moment arrived moments later.
With the Rockies threatening, Anthony Bender worked a full-count battle against Willi Castro, mixing sweepers and a mid-90s sinker before finishing the at-bat with an 84.3 mph sweeper that resulted in a foul-tip strikeout.
The escape preserved Miami’s one-run lead and effectively shifted the game’s outcome.
In the ninth, Pete Fairbanks closed it out in his Marlins debut, working around a one-out single before inducing soft contact to end the game and secure the save.
Miami Marlins catcher Agustín Ramírez (50) and pitcher Pete Fairbanks, right, embrace after the Marlins defeated the Colorado Rockies during a baseball game, Friday, March 27, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
A Game That Felt Like Miami Baseball
It wasn’t a loud game. It wasn’t clean offensively. But it felt like Miami.
Ten days after this ballpark was hosting countries playing for everything, it was back to one team, one game, and 81 of them ahead at home.
The roof was open. The crowd was into it. Every pitch late actually mattered.
That’s the version of baseball the Marlins need to lean into — because in this city, when it feels real, people show up for it.
Up Next
The Marlins continue their Opening Weekend series against the Rockies on Saturday at loanDepot park, with first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET.
Opening Day gave fans more than just a 2–1 win. The first 25,000 through the gates received a Kyle Stowers bobblehead — even with the outfielder currently sidelined as he works back from a hamstring injury — with 50 gold versions mixed in, while the team debuted new teal jerseys and capped the night with postgame fireworks under an open roof.
The weekend continues Saturday with Kids Opening Day, featuring family-focused activities and entertainment throughout the ballpark, before Sunday Funday returns with giveaways, the Diamond Dash, and the Marlins taking the field in their teal jerseys as part of Teal Sunday.
For a team trying to build momentum early, the Opening Weekend series offers both a competitive start on the field and a full return of the ballpark experience.
