Stars align for seven moon shots at Marlins Park

MIAMI -- Marlins Park had a Coors Field-like moment on Friday night.

The Marlins and the Brewers combined for a ballpark-record seven homers in the series opener, won, 9-5, by Milwaukee.

Miami belted four homers, with Giancarlo Stanton and Garrett Jones each delivering two solo shots. Mark Reynolds of the Brewers added two home runs, and Khris Davis hit another.

How much of the homer-happy night was attributed to the roof being open?

It's hard to say, because all seven shots would most likely have been out of any field. But still, the conditions seemed conducive to the ball traveling.

"It was pretty dead, wind-wise," Stanton said. "Every fly ball was to the fence, pretty much, for them. It was definitely flying way better than with the roof closed."

ESPN Stats & Info estimated Stanton's two shots at 463 feet and 444 feet. The distance of the slugger's first shot was readjusted by EPSN on Saturday after it was initially listed at 440 feet. Jones found the second deck in right field with a shot estimated at 431 feet, and his second drive was 374 feet.

Marlins Park, though, with its spacious gaps and high walls, can be a "no homer zone" on any given night.

"I think those balls that were hit would have been out of any ballpark," manager Mike Redmond said. "Some of those balls were crushed. It was a beautiful night, as far as temperature-wise and everything. The ball seemed to be carrying more than I've seen it."

Marlins right-hander Tom Koehler, who gave up the two blasts by Reynolds, noted that both came on mistake pitches.

"I think the ball does carry more when the roof is open," Koehler said. "I looked at some of those pitches. Like I said, we made a lot of mistakes in the zone."

The Marlins have an improved lineup, so by talent alone they are hitting more homers than a year ago.

In 2013, the Marlins finished last in the Majors with 95 homers, with a mere 36 at Marlins Park.

Friday night's total put them at 27 homers in their first 26 home games this year. In all, 48 home runs have been hit in Miami this year, which ranks eighth among Major League parks.

Last year, in 81 games at Marlins Park, 84 home runs were hit.

"Those guys hit some pitches that were middle of the plate, and they squared them up," Jones said. "Roof open, roof closed, I don't really think really made a factor on those balls."