Sacramento A’s manager Mark Kotsay (right) argues with umpires over calling Lawrence Butler out at home plate in the top of the fifth inning at Loan Depot in Miami on Sat Apr 3, 2025 (AP News photo)

Stowers Steals the Spotlight as A’s Fall to Marlins 9-6 in Walk-Off Slam

By Mauricio Segura

The green and gold had this one…until they didn’t.

On a sweltering 81 degree Saturday in Miami, the Athletics were three outs from securing another road win when the roof caved in, courtesy of Kyle Stowers’ thundering grand slam in the bottom of the ninth. What had been a seesaw affair turned suddenly, painfully, into a 9-6 Marlins victory, capped by Stowers’ second home run of the game.

It was the second walk-off grand slam surrendered by the A’s in just over a week, a gut punch delivered by a player who’s starting to make a habit of haunting pitchers late in games.

The drama spoiled a solid offensive showing by the A’s, who launched three homers and led 6-4 heading into the final frame. Brent Rooker got the party started with his ninth big fly of the year, a first-inning solo shot to dead center. JJ Bleday followed suit an inning later, and Luis Urías continued his tear with a two-run blast in the fourth.

Urías, who entered the game on a modest hot streak, is now up to five homers on the year and was one of three Athletics to reach base twice in the game. Gio Urshela also contributed with an eighth-inning RBI double that extended the lead to 6-4, setting the stage for what looked like a tidy bullpen finish.

But the late innings unraveled.

After a clean eighth from Justin Sterner, flame-throwing closer Mason Miller took over for the ninth. A hit-by-pitch, a walk, and a wild pitch trimmed the lead to one. With two outs and the bases juiced, Stowers jumped on a 1-0 pitch and sent it soaring into the seats in left-center.

It was Miller’s first blown save of the season and a rare blemish for a bullpen that had been quietly effective over the past week.

There were bright spots despite the loss. Jacob Wilson had two hits and scored twice, while Nick Kurtz added a sacrifice fly in the sixth to give the A’s a lead they held until the very end. Grant Holman and T.J. McFarland also chipped in with scoreless relief.

Still, the loss drops the Athletics to 18-16 on the season and highlights the volatility of late-inning leads. This one will sting, not just because of how it ended, but because of how close the A’s came to sealing it with power, patience, and just enough pitching.

They’ll look to regroup in Sunday’s finale before heading back home to face the Mariners.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.