15-year Marliniversary: Stanton's walk-off blast caps comeback as Marlins top Phillies

[Mike Ferguson]

With 267 home runs for the club, Giancarlo Stanton is the Florida/Miami Marlins’ all-time home run leader and by a wide margin. His first career walk-off shot came on this day 10 years ago.

In a contest that the Florida Marlins had never previously led, Stanton (then known as Mike) took Danys Báez deep in the 10th inning. His blast to left capped the comeback as the Marlins beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 7-6.

After John Mayberry’s second home run of the night—a two-run shot—gave the Phillies a 6-3 lead at Sun Life Stadium, Florida had work to do as it came to bat in the bottom of the sixth on July 6, 2011. It took just seven pitches for the Marlins to get right back into it.

With Philadelphia starter Kyle Kendrick done for the day, Hanley Ramírez lined David Herndon’s second pitch of the night into left field for a lead-off single in the sixth. Logan Morrison was then able to work the count to 3-1 before taking Herndon’s pitch the other way for an opposite-field two-run blast to cut the deficit to 6-5.

Following a scoreless seventh from Florida lefty Randy Choate, Omar Infante’s one-out triple in the bottom of the inning put the tying run 90 feet away. Gaby Sánchez was able to draw a walk before Ramírez singled home Infante to tie the game. The Marlins managed to load the bases with one out, but Stanton grounded into a double play to end the threat.

Choate, Steve Cishek, Juan Carlos Oviedo (then known as Leo Núñez) and Edward Mujica combined to keep the Phillies off the board over the next three innings. For the second straight inning in the bottom of the eighth, Florida was unable to take advantage of having a runner at third with one out. In the 10th, however, Stanton made sure the South Florida fans went home happy.

Báez was able to get Morrison to ground out to start the bottom of the 10th but fell behind Stanton 2-1. Báez hung a breaking ball and Stanton responded with a rocket over the Teal Tower in left field.

Infante and Ramírez each had three of the 14 Florida hits. Bryan Petersen added two hits in the win. In addition to Mayberry’s two home runs and three RBIs, Jimmy Rollins also had two hits and a solo homer for Philadelphia.

With the win, the Marlins avoided the three-game sweep. Over his eight years with the franchise, Stanton had three walk-off home runs for the Marlins. His first and the only one at Sun Life Stadium came on this day 15 years ago.

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[Jose Herrera]

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