30-year Marliniversary: Marlins overcome 6-run deficit in wild walk-off win over the Dodgers

In just their second year as a Major League Baseball franchise, the Florida Marlins held a winning record well into June during what would be a strike-shortened season.

One of their most exhilarating wins from year No. 2 came on this day 30 years ago. Jesús Tavárez capped the comeback with a walk-off single in the ninth as the Marlins rallied from six runs down late to stun the Los Angeles Dodgers, 11-10.

At the seventh-inning stretch at Joe Robbie Stadium on June 6, 1994, Florida found itself on the short end of a 9-3 score. Before the inning was over, the Marlins had drawn even.

Dodgers knuckleballer Tom Candiotti looked to be in for a quick inning as he was able to retire Jerry Browne and Matías Carrillo to open the frame. Florida responded with seven straight hits. 

Jeff Conine's flared single to right was followed by an RBI double from Greg Colbrunn, which ended Candiotti's day. After an infield single from Benito Santiago on the second pitch from Darren Dreifort put runners on the corners, Mario Díaz doubled him home to cut the deficit to 9-6.

Jim Gott got the call in the L.A. bullpen, but the right-hander failed to record an out as a Bret Barberie RBI double and a Dave Magadan RBI single cut the lead to 9-8. After Dreifort and Gott each failed to record an out, Al Osuna was able to get the Dodgers out of the inning, but not before giving up a game-tying triple to Chuck Carr.

The 9-9 score would be short-lived as the Dodgers and Marlins each plated runs in the eighth. Cory Snyder grounded into a double play with the bases loaded to score a run in the top half of the inning before a fielder's choice off the bat of Santiago in the bottom half of the frame brought home Conine.

Marlins reliever Willie Fraser was able to strand a pair of Dodgers in the ninth, giving the Marlins the chance to walk it off in the bottom of the inning. That's just what they did.

Barberie struck out to start the home half of the inning, but back-to-back singles by Magadan and Carr set the stage for Tavárez. Pinch-hitting, Tavárez saw just one pitch that night but hammered it into the left-centerfield gap for the walk-off hit as Florida prevailed.

Prior to the walk-off hit, the Marlins led briefly with two runs in the first. In the top of the second, Mike Piazza's 477-foot grand slam put the Dodgers in front. Raúl Mondesí, Garey Ingram and Tim Wallach would also each homer for the Dodgers.

Although the Marlins failed to homer, they did finish with 20 hits as a team. Conine, Colbrunn and Díaz each finished with three. Carr, Brown, Santiago, and Barberie added two apiece in the win. Piazza and Wallach each had four-hit games for L.A. 

The victory capped what would be a season-long five-game winning streak for the Marlins. It came in dramatic fashion on this day three decades ago.