20-year Marliniversary: Lo Duca’s walk-off 2-run single lifts Marlins past Brewers

[Mike Ferguson]

Paul Lo Duca delivered the Marlins a victory on this day 20 years ago. 

Over two stints with the club, Paul Lo Duca played in more than 200 games as a member of the Florida Marlins. An All-Star in 2005, Lo Duca was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trade deadline in 2004 and it didn't take long for him to make his presence felt.

On this day 20 years ago, Lo Duca, in just his fifth game with Florida, played the role of hero. His two-run walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth capped the comeback as the Marlins rallied past the Milwaukee Brewers, 7-6.

Through seven innings at Pro Player Stadium on Aug. 6, 2004, the Marlins and Brewers founded themselves in a 4-4 deadlock. Six pitches into the eighth inning, however, that all changed.

After Florida reliever Matt Perisho hit Geoff Jenkins to open the inning, Ben Grieve took the very next pitch over the wall in right field for a two-run blast to give the Brewers a 6-4 lead. Rudy Seánez was able to prevent any further damage, but entering the bottom of the inning, the Marlins had work to do.

Florida was able to get a run back when Jeff Conine singled home Miguel Cabrera in the eighth. After Billy Koch worked a 1-2-3 ninth for Florida, the Marlins were down to their last three outs. Milwaukee closer Danny Kolb failed to record even one out.

After pinch hitter Lenny Harris walked to open the inning, Juan Pierre attempted to sacrifice. Kolb fielded it and threw it away, putting two runners in scoring position with nobody out. Following an intentional walk to Luis Castillo to load the bases, the stage was set for Lo Duca.

The Florida catchers worked a terrific bat. After fouling off several pitches, including two off himself, Lo Duca flared Kolb's seventh pitch of the at-bat past the drawn-in infield and into center field for the game-winning two-run single.

The Marlins trailed 3-0 early on before finding their offense in the third inning. After Castillo singled home the first Florida run, Lo Duca followed with a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 3-2.

A World Series hero for the Marlins in 1997, Craig Counsell got the scoring started for Milwaukee with an RBI single in the first. In the fourth, he doubled home a run to extend the Brewers' lead to 4-2. In the bottom of the inning, Florida took advantage of a fielding error with a pair of unearned runs on a single from Pierre.

Counsell and Wes Helms, a future Marlin, each finished with two hits for Milwaukee in the loss. Cabrera led the Marlins with three hits and two runs scored. Lo Duca finished with a game-high three RBIs.

Lo Duca's walk-off single continued a torrid start to his tenure as a member of the Marlins, which included a home run in his first at-bat as a member. His heroics came on this day two decades ago. 

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