5-year Marliniversary: Cooper's 9th-inning slam caps comeback in Detroit

[Mike Ferguson]

Five years ago, Garrett Cooper busted out the big bat late with a game-winning grand slam. 

The 2019 Miami Marlins lost 105 games, but for a 41-game stretch from mid-May through June, they won more than they lost. One of the most memorable wins from that stretch came on this day five years ago.

 

Garrett Cooper played the role of hero for Miami on May 23, 2019. His ninth-inning grand slam capped a five-run frame as the Marlins completed the three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers, 5-2.

For eight innings at Comerica Park, Miami had managed just five hits. Trailing 2-0, an error by Detroit third baseman Dawel Lugo on grounder off the bat of Harold Ramirez breathed life into the struggling Marlins.

Tigers closer Shane Greene was able to Martín Prado to ground out, but Neil Walker followed with an RBI single to break up the shutout. Following a four-pitch walk to Miami catcher Jorge Alfaro, Greene was able to get the groundball he needed. A hustling Miguel Rojas, however, was able to beat out a close play at first and the inning continued.

Rojas proceeded to steal second base, which prompted Greene to intentionally walk Curtis Granderson to load the bases. That set the stage for Cooper.

0-for-4 on the day, Cooper had jumpstarted the offense the night before with his first career home run—a solo shot—as the Marlins erased a 3-0 deficit to leave with a 6-3 victory. Down 0-1 in the count, Cooper pounced on a breaking ball and was able to keep it fair down the left-field line for the go-ahead grand slam.

 

Sergio Romo was able to retire the Tigers in order in the ninth to pick up the save and complete the sweep. Tyler Kinley picked up the win for the Marlins.

Scoreless through five and a half innings, a sacrifice fly by Ronny Rodríguez off Miami starter Trevor Richards in the sixth gave Detroit a 1-0 lead. Miguel Cabrera, a former World Series hero for the Marlins, doubled the Tigers' lead with an RBI single in the eighth.

Cooper's slam not only gave the Marlins the sweep of the Tigers, but it ran their winning streak to six games. That would serve as their longest winning streak of the season. It came on this day five years ago.

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