Jorge Soler’s pinch-hit home run caps Miami Marlins rally in win over Giants
Skip Schumaker rattled off the statistic pretty quickly pregame when asked about a particular player’s absence from the lineup Monday.
“0 for 10 with seven punchouts,” the first-year Miami Marlins manager said. “Probably not the ideal matchup for him.”
Yes, Jorge Soler’s history against San Francisco Giants starter Logan Webb has not been great throughout their matchups over the years.
But with one swing on Monday, Soler changed his fortunes.
Soler’s pinch-hit, go-ahead, two-run home run in the seventh inning against Webb capped the Marlins’ 4-3, come-from-behind win over the Giants at loanDepot park to begin a three-game series.
“That was obviously a huge hit,” Schumaker said postgame. “I told him to be available. It’s not a day off, but be available to pinch-hit and he was ready. I don’t think he thought it was going to be against Webb, I’ll be honest with you. It was one of the reasons why he didn’t [start] today, but just a testament to him on still having confidence that he can do it even though he really struggled against Webb.”
Soler talked with assistant hitting coach Jason Hart prior to the at-bat against Webb. The main message Hart gave Soler was to move forward and closer to the plate.
“Probably,” Soler said, “that was part of the success.”
What also might have helped: Right before Soler’s home run, Webb was initially called for a balk before the ruling was overturned.
That extra moment, Soler said, allowed him to be “very relaxed at that moment.”
Webb’s next offering was a slider that leaked toward the middle of the plate. Soler took full advantage, swatting the pitch 413 feet to straightaway center field.
It was just the second pinch-hit home run of Soler’s career. The other came on Sept. 21, 2015, against the Milwaukee Brewers when he was a member of the Chicago Cubs.
“It was very exciting,” Soler said, “because I got the opportunity to get the team ahead.”
Soler now has a team-high five home runs and 10 RBI and is tied with Luis Arraez for the team lead with seven runs scored. Of Soler’s 12 hits this season, 11 have gone for extra-bases (five home runs, six doubles).
This coming after Soler struggled mightily in his first season with the Marlins. Soler hit just .207 in 72 games in 2022, missing significant time with back issues.
“It feels really good,” Soler said. “It gives you more confidence.”
Schumaker added: “It started in the offseason. He was coming in every day training with our training staff and trying to get right. It’s a credit to our training staff of being here for him every single day and Soler coming in not checking a box but actually trying to get better. He knows what he means to this team and this lineup and he’s right. He’s as potent as anybody in the middle of the order. We need him to go, and when he goes, we win. He’s won us a few games already just by himself. He can carry a team for a month straight.”
On Monday, Soler’s home run was the final play of Miami’s comeback. The Marlins (9-8) trailed 3-0 heading into the bottom of the third inning after the Giants (5-10) made their share of hard contact against Jesus Luzardo, who pitched just 4 1/3 innings after his pitch count got elevated early.
Miami broke up the shutout in the bottom of the third with a Jazz Chisholm Jr. RBI single that scored Jesus Sanchez, who led off the inning with a double and safely reached base in all three of his plate appearances. The Marlins then cut their deficit to one run when Arraez’s RBI single to right scored Chisholm from second.
In the seventh, Jean Segura led off the frame with an infield single and advanced to third on a Sanchez single down the third-base line and into left field. Nick Fortes hit into a double play before Soler entered to pinch-hit for Garrett Hampson, who started at shortstop.
Andrew Nardi (1 2/3 innings), Matt Barnes (one inning), Dylan Floro (one inning) and A.J. Puk (one inning) tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to seal the game. Barnes was credited with the win, his first of the season. Puk recorded his second save.
Miami is now 5-0 in one-run games after going 24-40 in those situations last season.
This story was originally published April 17, 2023 at 8:59 PM.
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