3 and Owen: Caissie's walk-off sends Miami to opening weekend sweep

MIAMI — The last time the Marlins started a season 3-0 in 2009, they were still the Florida Marlins.

Fast-forward 17 years, and after a name change, a new stadium, and two improbable playoff appearances, the Miami Marlins have joined them along with the 1997 World Series-winning team with three consecutive season-opening victories. The third such win, Sunday's 4-3 defeat over the Colorado Rockies, proved the most meaningful.

Entering the bottom of the ninth trailing 3-2, Miami started off the inning with an Xavier Edwards single. Liam Hicks, a late-game replacement and one of the protagonists in Saturday's win, lined out to former Marlin, first baseman Troy Johnston, who turned an unassisted double play.

Now down to their last out, Javier Sanoja would keep the dream alive with a two-out double that split the gap in left-center, bringing Owen Caissie, already 4-for-9 with a pair of doubles in this series, to the plate. After taking a first-pitch changeup from Colorado's Victor Vodnik, the Rockies reliever doubled down. Caissie made him pay for it, sending the pitch over the right field wall for a walk-off, two-run homer.

"I mean, I kind of blacked out...I don't know if kids imagine that, but it was awesome," said Caissie.

"Safe to say Owen Caissie will be in the lineup tomorrow," noted smiling Marlins manager Clayton McCullough.

OWEN CAISSIE. SAY HIS NAME pic.twitter.com/aBpyaLwvlq

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) March 29, 2026

I think it goes without saying that 2026 is a make-or-break year for Max Meyer. The club's first-round pick in 2020, Meyer entered his fourth big league season the owner of a 5.29 ERA in his 25 starts. So, when his first inning of the season yielded three runs, it felt like more of the same.

"I was just way too nonchalant out there for the first, and my arm just wasn't on time," said Meyer. "I looked at some video in the third...and I just kind of never got my arm through, and then I was able to pick up the pace a bit, so I felt better in the last couple of innings, for sure."

Following that three-run top of the first, Meyer would hold the Rockies scoreless for the next four innings, allowing just a pair of hits. In his five innings of work, Meyer, who threw 81 pitches, walked two and struck out four.

Relying primarily on his secondary pitches, Meyer only threw 28 percent fastballs in his season debut, failing to generate a single whiff on his heaters. His slider, though, proved greatly effective, generating whiffs on nine of the 13 swings, averaging just 71.7 miles per hour when put in play.

A narrative defining the Marlins' early-season triumphs has been the resilience their players have shown following moments of adversity.

Take shortstop Otto Lopez, whose throwing error in the top of the first allowed TJ Rumfield to score Colorado's third run. Batting in the bottom of the inning, Lopez hit an RBI double that saw Miami begin its clawing back.

While it may be early, there appear to be signs of something potentially special beginning to blossom here in Miami.

"This group is kind of creating their own identity a little bit. This is a new year, but the same type of mentality—just the resiliency," noted McCullough.

The Fish would plate another run in the following inning on a sacrifice fly from the newly minted Austin Slater.

Advancing to third on that play and making his major league debut, Deyvison De Los Santos made an impact early, doubling in his first career at-bat. Acquired from Arizona in the trade that shipped out A.J. Puk, De Los Santos' calling card is his 70-grade power, something the Marlins should rely on in the absence of Christopher Morel and Kyle Stowers.

The comeback, Miami's third one-run win in a row to begin the season, could not have been possible without the help of the bullpen, which fired four scoreless frames in relief of Meyer.

In the season's opening series, Marlin relievers combined to throw eight scoreless innings and strike out 15. 

Looking Ahead

The Marlins will continue their opening homestand on Monday, hosting the Chicago White Sox. Chris Paddack will make his Marlins debut in the series opener. Miami and Paddack agreed to a one-year, $4M deal before the start of spring training. Davis Martin will oppose him for Chicago.

The first pitch at loanDepot park is slated for 6:40 EST.