15-year Marliniversary: Hermida’s walk-off blast lifts Marlins past Cardinals

There seemed to be something about the St. Louis Cardinals that brought out the best in former Florida Marlins outfielder Jeremy Hermida.

Debuting against St. Louis in 2005, Hermida became the first player in baseball history to hit a pinch-hit grand slam in his first career at-bat. And on this day 15 years ago at Land Shark Stadium, Hermida sent the Cardinals home with a walk-off home run.

Five of the game’s first six runs had come in the third inning. The Cardinals got to Florida starter Josh Johnson with all three runs of their runs in the frame. Chris Duncan’s RBI single got the scoring started for St. Louis before Rick Ankiel delivered a two-run double to center field. Ankiel was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple.

The Marlins were able to answer with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. Emilio Bonifacio got Florida on the board with a two-run double off St. Louis starter Chris Carpenter. Bonifacio would tie the game in the fifth with an infield RBI single. Bonifacio was one of three Marlins to record two hits that night, along with Hermida and outfielder Cody Ross.

Still 3-3 entering the ninth, Florida closer Matt Lindstrom worked around a pair of singles to keep the Cards off the scoreboard.

Hermida was set to lead off the bottom of the ninth. It would take just three pitches from St. Louis reliever Jason Motte to end the contest.

On a 1-1 breaking ball from Motte, Hermida blasted a no-doubter over the right field wall. The home run was his sixth of the year and delivered Florida in a 4-3 walk-off victory.

Hermida’s blast would give the Marlins their fourth of 10 walk-off wins during an 87-win campaign in 2009. It happened on this day 15 years ago.