20-year Marliniversary: Willingham's 2-run pinch-hit walk-off blast lifts Fish past Mets

[Mike Ferguson]

During parts of five seasons with the Florida Marlins, Josh Willingham hit 63 home runs, including three walk-off bombs. The first of those three blasts came on this day 20 years and off a Hall of Fame closer.

Against Billy Wagner, Willingham played the role of hero at Dolphins Stadium on Aug. 1, 2006. His walk-off pinch-hit two-run blast lifted Florida to a 6-5 win over the New York Mets.

The Marlins had never led as they came to bat in the bottom of the ninth against Wagner. Wagner threw just three pitches, but that’s all Florida needed to complete the comeback.

Trailing 5-4, catcher Miguel Olivo started the rally by lining Wagner’s first offering to centerfield for a single. Pinch hitter Wes Helms moved him over to second one pitch later with a successful sacrifice bunt. With lead-off man Alfredo Amézaga 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, the Marlins turned to Willingham to grab a bat. Willingham turned on the first pitch he saw from Wagner over the “teal tower” in left field for the walk-off two-run blast.

Prior to Willingham’s shot, Florida had never led but it did draw even twice.

After the Mets took an early 1-0 lead on a Carlos Delgardo single in the top of the first, Cody Ross answered with an RBI double in the bottom of the inning. Carlos Beltrán’s two-run home run highlighted a three-run third inning for the Mets to go up 4-1, but a two-run blast from Hanley Ramírez and an RBI double from starting pitcher Scott Olsen drew Florida even in the fourth. The Mets regained the lead, 5-4, on José Reyes’ solo bomb off Randy Messenger to lead off the seventh.

While Willingham delivered the Marlins with the lone pitch he saw for the evening, Ramírez and Olivo each finished with two hits. Former Marlins All-Star catcher Paul Lo Duca had three hits, a run scored and an RBI for the Mets. Reyes scored three of the five New York runs.

Over parts of 11 seasons in the big leagues, Willingham hit 195 home runs, including five walk-offs. His first came as a member of the Marlins and against a seven-time All-Star on this day two decades ago.

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