Tensions boiled over during the seventh inning of the Miami Marlins’ 12-5 win over the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Thursday, as a bench-clearing incident added to the growing rivalry between the two franchises. The altercation was sparked by a contentious call involving Giants first baseman Wilmer Flores, who was called out on a check swing by the first-base umpire. As Flores expressed his frustration, Marlins pitcher Cade Gibson approached him, leading to heated exchanges that were quickly interrupted by his team’s coaching staff, who restrained Gibson before the benches and bullpens emptied. Despite the intensity, no physical confrontation occurred, and the umpires and coaches kept the teams on opposite sides of the field. Order was restored quickly, allowing play to resume, and the Marlins capitalized on the disruption by scoring four runs in the eighth inning, extending their lead to 12-5 and putting the game out of reach.
The benches-clearing incident was not the only contentious moment in the game. In the Marlins’ previous encounter with the Giants on Wednesday, the Giants retaliated for a hit-by-pitch by striking out Marlins’ No. 3 hitter Otto Lopez with the first pitch of the at-bat. This incident led to a warning for the Giants, as Marlins manager Clayton McCullough disputed the call and was ejected by home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez. Despite the loss of their manager for much of the game, the Marlins managed to secure their three-game series sweep over the Giants. The Giants, who have lost eight of their last 11 games, will look to bounce back when they face the Chicago White Sox on Friday, while the Marlins will aim to continue their winning streak against the Arizona Diamondbacks.