Marlins find offense just in time for walk-off win over Diamondbacks
Throwback Weekend at Marlins Park didn’t just include teal pinstripe vests and black Florida Marlins hats from the organization’s 1997 Championship season. It turns out, it also included a deja vu moment.
It was Game 7 of the 1997 World Series, when Colombian shortstop Edgar Renteria singled up the middle for a walk-off hit in the 11th inning to clinch the Marlins’ first championship.
The stage wasn’t nearly as big, but another Colombian player lifted the Marlins (39-62) to a walk-off win Friday. Harold Ramirez, who was three years old when Renteria got his big hit, brought home the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth to send the Marlins to a 3-2 comeback win over the Arizona Diamondbacks (52-52) at Marlins Park to open a seven-game homestand.
“You’re not going to believe this. But before the game I thought about that because they showed it on the video board,” Ramirez said of Renteria’s 1997 walk-off hit. “I got the opportunity and I made the most of it.”
It marked the Marlins’ second consecutive walk-off win at Marlins Park, with the other coming in a 4-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on July 18. It’s the first time the Marlins have recorded consecutive walk-offs since May 2004.
Trailing 2-1 entering the the ninth inning, the Marlins were running out of time to find offense.
But the Marlins found it just in time, as the bottom of the ninth began with a leadoff double from Garrett Cooper, a five-pitch walk for Neil Walker and a single from Starlin Castro gave the Marlins bases loaded with no outs.
Jorge Alfaro scored pinch-runner Yadiel Rivera on a sacrifice fly to right-center field to tie the game 2-2. And Ramirez scored Walker on his game-winning sacrifice fly to bring Marlins players rushing out of the dugout in celebration.
“Obviously Coop puts it in play right away with the double,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said of the ninth. “It puts you in a spot where any hit can tie a game up. Walk has a good at-bat. I thought Starlin had a good at-bat. Jorge getting behind the count and then getting something he could drive. He was able to get the run in and get him [Walker] over. And then Man Ram [Harold Ramirez] got us a good one, too.”
With the Marlins’ first run of the night also scored on a sacrifice fly from Walker in the first inning, it marked the first time in team history they have scored each of their three runs in a game on sacrifice flies.
Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara didn’t get the win and has still lost three consecutive decisions, but he was solid. He allowed two runs on five hits in six innings, striking out four and walking three.
Friday was a step in the right direction for Alcantara, considering he had posted a 7.15 ERA over his previous four starts.
Lefty Jose Quijada earned the win for the Marlins, throwing a scoreless ninth inning out of the bullpen. It’s the first Major League win of his career.
Diamondbacks All-Star pitcher Zack Greinke turned in a quality start, limiting the Marlins’ offense to one run on four hits in six innings. He struck out five and walked just one.
But the Diamondbacks were not able to hold the lead after pulling ahead 2-1 in the fourth inning on an Nick Ahmed RBI ground out that scored Jake Lamb, who reached based on a triple.
“That was a good win,” Mattingly said. “It was a good game, honestly. Both sides, good pitching. I thought we did a really good job with Zack over there trying to make him work. He’s hard to deal with. Guys did a good job, I thought, early. Sandy was good, kept us in the game, and then our bullpen was really good.”
The Marlins continue their four-game series against the Diamondbacks on Saturday at 6:10 p.m.
Trevor Richards to bullpen
Mattingly said Friday that struggling pitcher Trevor Richards has been moved to a bullpen role, and right-hander Elieser Hernandez will start in his place Sunday against the Diamondbacks at Marlins Park.
Hernandez will make “at least a few starts,” according to Mattingly.
“Not so much where he stands. It’s more about Elieser than Trevor,” Mattingly said. “When we put Elieser in the ‘pen, we knew we wanted it to be short-term. We didn’t want his arm getting to the point where he didn’t feel good about starting.”
The Marlins have lost in each of Richards’ past eight starts. During that eight-start span, the 26-year-old has posted a 0-7 record (one no-decision) and a 6.33 ERA in 43 2/3 innings.
But the Marlins didn’t waste any time in using Richards in his new role, as he pitched a scoreless eighth inning Friday. He allowed one hit and struck out two in the frame.
The organization views Hernandez as a starter. He’s already made five starts this season, but has also made six appearances out of the bullpen and was moved to a relief role just before the All-Star break earlier this month.
Hernandez is 1-4 with a 5.24 ERA in 11 appearances this season.
▪ Marlins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez, who has been on the injured list since June with a right shoulder strain, is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Sunday with the organization’s Double A affiliate, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.
Mattingly said Lopez is scheduled to pitch three innings in his first appearance Sunday. The rehab assignment is expected to include three to four starts.
This story was originally published July 26, 2019 at 10:27 PM.
