25-year Marliniversary: Millar's walk-off blast in 10th completes comeback vs. Phillies

[Mike Ferguson]

Known for his big personality, Kevin Millar never shied away from the big moment. On this day 25 years ago, Millar came through in the clutch for the Florida Marlins with a walk-off home run in the 10th inning to down the Philadelphia Phillies and complete the comeback, 6-5.

Through three innings at Pro Player Stadium on Sept. 28, 2001, things didn’t look good for the Marlins as they were on the short end of a 5-1 score. After Doug Glaville got the scoring started for Philadelphia with a two-run single in the first, Marlon Anderson added an RBI double in the second. Mike Lowell got the Marlins on the board with a solo home run in the bottom of the second but Scott Rolen and Travis Lee hit back-to-back homers to open the third.

It was a rough outing for Florida starter Ryan Dempster, but the bullpen gave the Marlins a bit of momentum. Following two scoreless innings from Benito Báez, Florida cut the four-run deficit in half with two runs in the fifth. Andy Fox led off the inning with a solo home run before Eric Owens plated Derrek Lee with an RBI single.

Florida would get two more scoreless innings of relief from Kevin Olsen. In the bottom of the seventh, Owens’ second RBI single of the game scored Dave Berg and cut the lead to 5-4. It also ended the day for Philadelphia starting pitcher Robert Person.

José Santiago was able to get the final out for the Phillies in the seventh. Braden Looper and Vic Darensbourg each worked scoreless innings for the Marlins. As the contest went to the bottom of the ninth, Philadelphia turned to closer José Mesa.

As was the case four years earlier when he was a member of the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 of the World Series, Mesa was unable to hold a ninth-inning lead at Pro Player Stadium. Lead-off man Dave Berg started the rally with a one-out single before taking second on a passed ball and third on a single by Lee. With runners on the corners and one out, Owens was nearly the hero. His shot to right was caught just shy of the way, but it served as a sacrifice fly and his third RBI of the day as the Marlins drew even.

With the scored tied 5-5 in the top of the 10th, Antonio Alfonseca was able to induce three groundouts on just eight pitches. That set the stage for Florida to win it in the bottom of the frame.

Cliff Politte was able to get Lowell to fly out to start the inning, but on the sixth pitch of the ensuing at-bat, Millar took the right-hander’s fastball that was left up and hammered it. The line-drive shot easily cleared the “teal tower” in left field for a walk-off home run and capped the four-run comeback.

Derrek Lee led the Marlins with three hits while Berg and Owens each added two. Anderson, Travis Lee and Bobby Abreu finished with two hits apiece for the Phillies. Alfonseca earned the win while Politte took the loss.

A .296 hitter over parts of five seasons with the Marlins, Millar finished his 12-year big-league career with 170 home runs and three walk-off shots. His first came as a member of the Fish and on this day a quarter-century ago.

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