If your commute has lots of hills then you may consider the Marin as it has a triple. A 26-34 combination is enough to get you up any incline. Otherwise I'd opt for the Specialized with the disc brakes. It has a double, and the lowest gearing combo you have is a 32-34, is still good enough for all but the steepest of inclines.

The Spec also has carbon fork as opposed to the aluminum on the Marin. It may give you a bit more cushion on the front end if your commute is on rougher roads.

The Spec costs more, but you are getting disc brakes and a carbon fork, and may also retain its value better over time if you were to sell it in the future.