15-year Marliniversary: Marlins walk-off Reds on 14th-inning error

[Mike Ferguson]

An error by Cincinnati's Paul Janish gave the Marlins a 14-inning walk-off win 15 years ago.

The early parts of the 2009 season had plenty of thrilling moments for the Florida Marlins. Four of the Marlins' first 15 wins came in extra innings.

On this day 15 years ago, the Marlins got their first extra-innings walk-off win of the season. A throwing error by Cincinnati Reds shortstop Paul Janish in the 14th inning lifted the Marlins to a thrilling 3-2 win.

The Marlins hadn't scored since the sixth inning as the May 4, 2009 contest at Land Shark Stadium went to the 14th. In his third inning of relief, Burke Badenhop worked around a two-out single from Janish to give his team a chance to walk it off.

Facing Danny Herrera, Marlins catcher Ronny Paulino started the 14th by drawing a walk. After getting the scoring started with a solo home run in the first inning, Hanley Ramírez singled on the very next pitch for his third hit of the night to put the winning run in scoring position.

Jorge Cantú was able to get ahead in the count 2-0 before hitting a hard ground ball at Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto. Votto threw to second to start what looked to be a sure double play, but Janish's return throw skipped away from the covering Herrera and allowed Paulino to score the winning run. 

Following Ramírez's blast in the first, Florida didn't add to its lead until an RBI single from Jeremy Hermida in the sixth made it 2-0. The Reds answered with two runs in the top of the seventh off Marlins starter Josh Johnson.

Like Ramírez, Emilio Bonifácio finished with three hits for Florida. Cody Ross went 2-for-6 in the win. Janish, Votto, and Chris Dickerson each notched a pair of hits for the Reds.

The 14 innings would be the most the Marlins would play all season. Florida scored the winning run on a throwing error on this day 15 years ago.

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