20-year Marliniversary: Lowell has first 3-homer game in Marlins history

Third baseman Mike Lowell certainly had his share of postseason heroics with the Florida Marlins and Boston Red Sox, but on this day 20 years ago, the Gold Glove third baseman did something that no Marlin had ever done -- leave the yard three times in one game.

The reigning world champion Florida Marlins were riding high on April 21, 2004 as they looked to clinch the series by taking the middle game of a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park against the Philadelphia Phillies. Florida was 9-4 on the young season compared to just 5-7 for Philadelphia.

Through five and a half innings, a solo home run by Lowell off Philadelphia starter Eric Milton to lead off the second inning accounted for all the scoring. Then in the bottom of the sixth, the Phillies pushed across five runs with a two-run homer from Jim Thome putting Philadelphia ahead.

Trailing 5-1 entering the seventh, Florida answered back with five runs of its own. After the Marlins pushed across runs on an error and a Miguel Cabrera RBI single, Lowell came to the plate with a runner on and Florida trailing 5-3.

On a 2-1 pitch, Lowell hammered a pitch over the left-center wall for a two-run shot to tie the game at five. The Marlins went ahead two pitches later when Wil Cordero homered to make it back-to-back blasts.

The 6-5 Florida lead would last until the bottom of the eighth when Ricky Ledee took Florida reliever Chad Fox deep for a two-run shot to put the Phillies back ahead. With Philadelphia leading 7-6, lefty Billy Wagner was brought in to close things out in the ninth. The first batter he would see would be Lowell.

With one swing of the bat on a 3-2 pitch, Lowell took Wagner deep to left field, becoming the first Florida Marlin ever to homer three times in one game. The solo shot would also even the game 7-7 and ultimately force extra innings.

The contest would go to the 12th before the Marlins plated the next run. Luis Castillo's sacrifice fly ultimately proved to be the game-winner, scoring Juan Pierre. Pierre had reached on a walk before stealing second and advancing to third on a throwing error by Philadelphia catcher Mike Lieberthal.

Florida reliever Justin Wayne faced the minimum in the 11th and 12th innings to pick up the win. Lowell finished the night 4-for-6 with four RBIs and the three long balls. Florida's Jeff Conine and Philadelphia's Bobby Abreu each had three hits.

The contest was played under protest after Philadelphia second baseman Plácido Polanco had a ninth-inning hit get wedged under the outfield wall on what was determined to be a ground-rule double. The protest was ultimately denied as the Marlins improved to 10-4 with the 8-7 extra-inning victory.

Lowell remains one of only three Marlins to hit three home runs in a game. Cody Ross would accomplish the feat in 2006 against the New York Mets before Brian Anderson went yards three times in the Miami Marlins' September 2020 victory over the Washington Nationals. The first time it was done for the Fish was on this day two decades ago.