Ruiz plays hero for Marlins with game-winning double

[Nate Karzmer]

If you fancy high-intensity, down-to-the-wire baseball, the Marlins and Diamondbacks have delivered just that in the desert.

It was the home team that provided the late-game fireworks in Monday's series opener, staging a three-run comeback capped off by a Corbin Carroll walk-off blast. In the encore, though, Miami returned to favor.

Tied in the top of the eleventh with the bases loaded and two away, Esteury Ruiz belted a poorly placed Taylor Clarke sinker 407 feet to left-center, plating all three runners with as long a double as possible. Three Josh Ekness outs later, Miami had evened the set with a 4-2 win in the middle game, improving to 75-77 with ten games to go. Although essentially eliminated from postseason contention, six wins in their final stretch would secure just the eighth season with a .500 record in franchise history.

For Ruiz, the clutch knock marked only his third hit all month thus far. After posting marks at the plate miles above what's been previously shown in the bigs through July, the 27-year-old has come down to earth. Since August 1st, Ruiz is slashing .178/.294/.260 with four extra-base hits. Nevertheless, his thirty stolen bases and success throughout the summer make his acquisition more than worthwhile, and a season OPS and career high of .731 still sits comfortably ahead of second place's .654 tally.

Keeping the Fish around in extras were Victor Vodnik and the aforementioned Ekness, both of whom worked out of jams in the ninth and tenth, respectively. It was in the latter frame when a wild Otto Lopez throw to first pulled Deyvison De Los Santos off the bag, leading to a phenomenal game-saving play from Miami's rookie first baseman against his former organization. Had De Los Santos been unable to nab Ildemaro Vargas, things would have culminated there.

Vodnik and Ekness weren't alone, though, as following Janson Junk's three-inning outing, an additional five-reliever effort went almost flawlessly. Across eight innings, the seven conceded four hits and zero earned runs— the lone blemish coming when ghost runner Ildemaro Vargas came around to score on a Ketel Marte double in the bottom of the eleventh. For the Marlins, the night undoubtably joins the shortlist of best bullpen efforts in a season full of them.

Wednesday's rubber match features Ryan Gusto on the mound for Miami opposite Merrill Kelly. First pitch from Chase Field is set for 9:40 pm EST.

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