Things were a lot smoother for Royals starter Kris Bubic. The 2025 All-Star shut down the Marlins across five innings. He allowed three hits and registered two strikeouts before handing the game over to the Royals’ bullpen.

Their 19-10 record over the last month of play was tied for the most in the Majors. Their star outfielder Kyle Stowers showed up big in Atlanta when he hit a home run for the NL in the All-Star swing-off. They started to look like a club that could close out a series.

Otto López hit a go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning and the Miami Marlins beat the Kansas City Royals 3-1.

What’s next: The Royals continue their weekend series at the Marlins. On Saturday, KC right-handed starter Michael Wacha (4-9, 3.74 ERA) will start opposite MLB veteran Cal Quantrill (3-8, 5.62 ERA) at 3:10 p.m. Central Time.

Despite seeing their second-longest win streak of the season come to a halt, the four consecutive wins coming into Sunday — and the 21-11 record since June 13 — breathed life into a Marlins’ organization that feels they have enough to make a run in the second half of the season.

Shortstop Otto Lopez drove in all three runs as the host Miami Marlins won again, defeating the Kansas City Royals, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon.

BOTTOM LINE: The Miami Marlins face the Kansas City Royals with a 1-0 series lead. Miami has a 45-51 record overall and a 21-27 record at home. Marlins hitters are batting a collective .254, which ranks fourth in the NL.