More Marlins Magic: Otto Lopez becomes latest walk-off hero

[Daniel Rodriguez]

Miami gets first series win of June after a second walk-off in as many days. 

MIAMI, FL—The Marlins pitching staff has been heavily taxed. Wednesday marked their ninth straight day with a game and the previous two against the St. Louis Cardinals had both gone into extra innings. Facing the threat of another extra-inning game and another series loss, Otto Lopez stepped up. Like Vidal Bruján the night before, Lopez collected a walk-off RBI single in Miami's 4-3 victory.

The situation arose for Lopez in the bottom of the ninth with Tim Anderson on second and two outs, facing righty Ryan Fernandez. When Fernandez left a fastball down the middle in a 2-0 count, Lopez took full advantage. It was his first RBI since June 5.

"It's been magic so far and we feel positive every time we go to the plate," Lopez said postgame. "It's been rough for me this series, but I keep it in my mind to stay positive."

Overall, Lopez has been a bright spot shining through an otherwise dark cloud of a Marlins season. Acquired as a waiver claim in April, he's become the team's starting second baseman.

Skip Schumaker on Lopez: "He got his shot and I think there's some guys that would try to force it or try to do too much. Shows the maturity that he hit the ball the other way against a really good sinker/slider guy". 

Miami had four runs on eight hits in the game, doing a lot of that damage in the very first inning. The bats started hot as Bryan De La Cruz and Jesús Sánchez homered in back-to-back at-bats, followed by a Josh Bell double. Bell ended up having a multi-hit game. 

On the pitching front for the Fish, Yonny Chirinos was given the ball to make his Marlins debut, becoming the 12th different starter they've used this season.  Chirinos provided five solid innings of work for the team, which included six strikeouts without walking a batter. Luckily for Chirinos, the Cardinals went 1-for-9 with RISP against him, only scoring in the second inning. He relied mainly on his sinker and slider. Chirinos provided quality innings and did more than enough for Miami to get the win, setting himself up to likely get another start. 

Although overworked, Marlins relievers were effective. A.J. Puk, Huascar Brazoban and Tanner Scott combined for six strikeouts in their four innings pitched, allowing just one unearned run on a Jake Burger fielding error.

Coming into the game, Miami expected to face Kyle Gibson. However, the veteran righty was scratched right before first pitch with back tightness. Instead, lefty and former top prospect Matthew Liberatore got the spot start.

"We didn't find out until I got in the dugout and exchanged lineup cards that the change was made," Schumaker said. This was only the fourth time all year that the Marlins have won when facing a lefty starter.

Liberatore settled down after the initial struggles and Miami did not record another hit until the fourth inning with a single by Nick Fortes. In true Marlin fashion, they picked it up when it was needed the most, resulting in a second walk-off in as many days. Half of their 14 home wins in 2024 have come on walk-offs.

My three stars of the game:

1. Otto Lopez (1-4, walk-off)
2.  Bryan De La Cruz & Jesús Sánchez (back-to-back home runs)
3. Yonny Chirinos (5 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO, HR) 

The Marlins now have an off-day before resuming their homestand with a series against the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners on Friday. Trevor Rogers will take the mound for the Fish as he will match up against righty George Kirby. 

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[THOMAS JOSEPH]

We are entering a hazy forty-day period as deadline trades are considered and ultimately consummated. After July 30th, we could easily have a fourth of the current active roster turned over.