15-year Marliniversary: Ross homer, Hermida single key comeback win over Nats in extras

[Mike Ferguson]

The Marlins achieved the best 10-game start in franchise history on April 17, 2009. 

With the exception of the two championship years, the 2009 Florida Marlins won more games than any other team in franchise history. During an 87-75 campaign, the Marlins battled for plenty of exhilarating wins, including one that took place on this day 15 years ago.

Trailing in the ninth inning at Nationals Park on April 17, 2009, Cody Ross forced extra innings with a solo home run. In the extra frame, Jeremy Hermida came through with the winning RBI as the Marlins rallied past the Washington Nationals, 3-2.

Leading 2-1 entering the top of the ninth, Washington turned to closer Joel Hanrahan to try to slam the door. Hanrahan's night got off to a good start as he opened the inning by getting Hermida to ground out. 

Enter Ross.

0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts to that point, Ross was able to work the count even at 2-2 before lining one down the line and over the left-field wall for the game-tying solo blast.

After Juan Carlos Oviedo (then known as Leo Núñez) worked a scoreless bottom of the inning, the Marlins mounted a two-out rally to take the lead.

John Baker and Hanley Ramirez started the top of the 10th with back-to-back groundouts against Saul Rivera, but three straight singles from Jorge Cantú, Dan Uggla and Hermida followed. Hermida's infield single plated Cantú as Florida took its first lead since the fourth inning.

Washington threatened in the 10th as Elijah Dukes led off the frame with a double off Marlins closer Matt Lindstrom. Lindstrom was able to settle in by getting Josh Willingham, a former Marlin, to hit a weak flyball to right before striking out Jesús Flores and Alberto Gonzalez to end the contest.

Prior to the ninth, all the scoring came in the fourth inning. Baker's solo home run put the Marlins on the board in the top of the inning but Washington answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Gonzalez's RBI double off Ricky Nolasco evened the score. Gonzalez came around to give the Nationals the lead later in the inning on an RBI single from Anderson Hernández.

Cantú had two hits for the Marlins while Gonzalez led Washington with three hits. Ryan Zimmerman, Flores and Nick Johnson each had two hits for the Nationals in the loss. Oviedo picked up the win while Rivera took the loss. Lindstrom recorded the save.

The come-from-behind victory gave the Marlins a 9-1 record early on during the 2009 season, marking their best 10-game start in franchise history. It came on this day 15 years ago. 

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