30-year Marliniversary: Marlins beat Rockies in final at-bat for second straight night

For the Florida Marlins, the 1996 season ushered in a handful of franchise-firsts, including the first no-hitter in franchise history, which was completed against Al Leiter against the Colorado Rockies. That, however, wasn’t the only memorable moment against Colorado from that campaign.

On this day 30 years ago, the Marlins beat the Rockies in their final at-bat for the second day in a row. After Joe Orsulak’s solo home run in the eighth inning gave Florida a 2-1 clinched the series win the night before, the Marlins rallied to complete the three-game sweep with three runs in the eighth in the series finale.

Édgar Rentería’s two-run single in the Florida seventh had tied the game 4-4 at Joe Robbie Stadium on Aug. 15, 1996, but the Rockies had an answered in the top of the eighth. A sacrifice fly from Jayhawk Owens put the Rockies back in front 5-4 before a Walt Weiss RBI triple on the very next pitch extended the lead two.

Down 6-4, the Marlins had work to do against Colorado reliever Curt Leskanic in the bottom of the inning. Florida centerfielder Devon White started the rally with a double to start the frame. Leskanic bounced back to strike out Jesús Tavárez but a walk to Kurt Abbott led to a pitching change.

Closer Bruce Ruffin was called upon with two on and one out. Ruffin would surrender the lead in just two pitches.

Ruffin’s first pitch of the night was pulled down the third base line by Alex Arias for a game-tying two-run double. Arias was able to take third on the throw to the plate. One pitch later, he scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Jeff Conine.

In the bottom of the ninth, Robb Nen used a pair of ground balls back to the mound – one for a double play – to face the minimum and complete the save. Despite allowing the go-ahead Colorado hits in the top of the eighth, Jay Powell picked up the win for the Marlins.

Prior to the eighth, Florida had never led. After the Rockies scored in the top of the first inning, the Marlins drew even in the bottom on a Gary Sheffield solo home run. Colorado went back in front with three runs in the third. Orsulak singled home Abbott in the fifth to cut the lead to 4-2.

Ellis Burks, Weiss and Andrés Galarraga each finished with two hits and an RBI for the Rockies. Abbott scored two of the seven runs for Florida.

For the 1996 season, the Marlins would finish with a then-franchise-best record of 80-82. Against Colorado, Florida went 8-5, including a perfect 7-0 at home. That included thrilling wins in each of the final two meetings, capped by a thriller on this day three decades ago.