The Marlins made light work of the Cubs with a 10-3 victory in their regular-season meeting on Saturday. It was a result that told its own story from the opening exchanges, and by then the complexion of the evening was set. To be fair, the visitors had not come to Miami to make up the numbers, but they left with little to show for their efforts.
Both sides had traded results in the days leading up to this encounter. The Marlins had lost their last two games against Chicago before this performance, while the Cubs had won five of their previous six outings across all opponents. The rhythm of the series had been uneven, and this match finally tipped the balance.
And here's the thing, our prediction had gone the other way. We had backed the visitors with 54 per cent confidence, but the game refused to follow that script. The home side simply made the difference, and our assessment was left behind.
The margin of victory suggested a team that had found its footing. Ten runs is not a score you accumulate by accident, and three runs conceded tells you something about the resistance on the other side. The hosts carved them open with enough consistency to leave the scoreboard looking lopsided.
What this means in the wider context is worth noting. The Marlins have not won since their earlier form dipped, and a result like this could shift momentum. The Cubs, meanwhile, had been carrying a streak of their own, and one mistake ends it when the opposition is firing on all cylinders.