30-year Marliniversary: Colbrunn's walk-off caps Marlins' comeback win over Reds

Mike Ferguson · July 6, 2024

Thirty years ago, the Marlins erased a late lead to win in 10 innings.

In just their second year as a franchise, the Florida Marlins finished 51-64 during the strike-shortened 1994 season. However, they had their fair share of thrilling wins, going 5-1 in extra innings.

Their final extra-inning walk-off win from that campaign came on this day 30 years ago. After tying the game with three runs in the eighth inning, Greg Colbrunn's RBI single in the 10th won it in a 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

The Marlins had managed just three hits off Cincinnati starter John Roper as they came to bat in the bottom of the eighth at Joe Robbie Stadium on July 6, 1994. Down 3-0, back-to-back singles from Kurt Abbott and Bret Barberie got the rally started.

With runners at the corners and nobody out, Matías Carrillo got Florida on the board with a sacrifice fly. Following a single from Chuck Carr that put the tying run on base, Roper's night was done.

Reliever Jeff Brantley was able to get Jerry Browne swinging for the second out, but the big bats in the Marlins order did their jobs. Gary Sheffield cut the deficit to 3-2 by flaring a single to center field that scored Barberie. One pitch later, Jeff Conine followed with a bloop to left that landed in front of the diving Kevin Mitchell for the game-tying single.

Marlins relievers Yorkis Pérez and Robb Nen were able to stand runners in each of the next two innings. For Cincinnati, Héctor Carrasco worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning, but a one-out error by shortstop Barry Larkin in the bottom of the 10th would prove costly.

After a passed ball by catcher Brian Dorsett allowed the speedy Carr to reach second, back-to-back walks to Browne and Sheffield loaded the bases. As the Reds turned to lefty Chuck McElroy, the Marlins countered with the right-handed-hitting Colbrunn.

Colbrunn needed to see just one pitch as he smacked one past the drawn-in infield and into center field for the walk-off hit.

Conine and Barberie each finished with two hits for Florida. Larkin, Reggie Sanders, Ed Taubensee and Tony Fernández each finished with two hits for Cincinnati, combining for eight of the Reds' nine knocks. Bret Boone plated two of the three Cincinnati runs with a fourth-inning double.

In addition to the Marlins' five wins in extra innings in 1994, they also recorded seven walk-off wins. The last walk-off victory in extras from that season took place on this day three decades ago.

View full article