BALTIMORE – In early March, Don Mattingly figured the rebuild of the Miami Marlins just might begin to show results this season.The world, and the Marlins, are vastly different since then.
Yet, somehow, this baseball team has found a way to overcome a team-wide coronavirus outbreak, an unwanted eight-day layoff and a whole lot of youth to fashion the best record in baseball.Jonathan Villar hit a first-pitch leadoff homer to spark a robust offensive performance by the Marlins, who beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-7 Thursday night to complete a startling four-game sweep and make Mattingly the winningest manager in franchise history.Villar had three hits and Brian Anderson drove in three runs for the upstart Marlins, many of whom spent last week.