20-year Marliniversary: Jacobs' pinch-hit walk-off double caps Fish win over Brewers

Throughout the 34-year history of the Florida/Miami Marlins, the 2006 team had some of the lowest expectations entering the season. The club, however, was fun to watch.

After a dismal start, the Florida Marlins put together stellar months of June and August. One of the highlights of August was a thrilling comeback win that culminated in a walk-off pinch-hit double by Mike Jacobs in a 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers—on this day 20 years ago.

Through 6 1/2 innings at Dolphins Stadium on Aug. 27, 2006, Florida, riding a six-game winning streak, had managed just two hits off Milwaukee starter Chris Capuano. It took just two swings in the bottom of the seventh for the Marlins to double their hit total, tie the game and end Capuano’s afternoon.

Trailing 2-0, thanks to a two-run single by Milwaukee’s Bill Hall in the fifth, Miguel Cabrera and Josh Willingham led off the bottom of the inning with back-to-back home runs. Just like that, it was tied, but it didn’t stay that way for too much longer.

José Capellán was able to prevent any further damage in the seventh, but after Sergio Mitre worked a 1-2-3 eighth for Florida, Hanley Ramírez lined Danny Kolb’s second pitch down the right-field line for a lead-off triple in the bottom of the eighth. Two pitches later, Dan Uggla singled Ramírez home to give the Marlins their first lead of the game, 3-2.

Closer Joe Borowski, however, was unable to lock down the win in the ninth. David Bell’s solo home run to lead off the inning knotted the score. Borowski was able to work around two walks later in the inning to keep the score tied at 3 apiece.

Extra innings seemed inevitable as Alfredo Amézaga and Miguel Olivo each grounded out against Brian Shouse to open the bottom of the ninth, but Jeremy Hermida was able to draw a seven-pitch walk. That set the stage for Jacobs.

In as a pinch-hitter, Jacobs saw just three pitches on the day. The last of those was lined into the left-field corner. Hermida came all the way around from first, sliding home for the winning run.

After taking the first two games of the four-game series, the thrilling victory clinched the set for Florida and ran its winning streak to seven. Both teams finished with eight hits. Bell and Willingham each had three for their respective teams.

With a 78-84 final record, the 2006 Marlins exceeded all expectations. Against Milwaukee that season, the Marlins were a perfect 7-0. The only win over the Brewers that ended in a walk-off came on this day two decades ago.