20-Year Marliniversary: Cabrera's blast in extras lifts Marlins past Braves

Undoubtedly a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Miguel Cabrera was hitting timely home runs from the moment he made his Major League Baseball debut. On this day 20 years ago, Cabrera hit another clutch home run in extra innings.

After the Florida Marlins let a late run slip away, Cabrera made sure the contest didn’t. His solo blast in the 11th lifted Florida past the Atlanta Braves, 6-5.

The Marlins appeared on their way to an easy victory at Turner Field on Sept. 20, 2003. As the Braves came to bat in the bottom of the eighth, Florida led 5-1.

Atlanta was able to cut the deficit in half in the eighth on a two-run home run from Gary Sheffield off Florida reliever Ugueth Urbina. In the ninth, Javy Lopez cut the lead to 5-4 with a solo home run off closer Braden Looper before Mark DeRosa’s RBI single evened things up.

With the score tied 5-5, Will Cunnane worked a 1-2-3 10th for the Braves. In the bottom of the inning, Atlanta loaded the bases with one out, but Marlins pitchers Michael Tejera and Rick Helling used a forceout at the plate and a flyball, respectively, to get out of the jam.

Cunnane remained on the mound to work the 11th inning. Waiting for him was Cabrera.

After taking the first pitch for a ball, Cabrera was able to get a fastball up and on the inner part of the plate. Cabrera belted the delivery about 10 rows deep into the left-centerfield stands to put Florida ahead once and for all. Helling worked a 1-2-3 bottom half of the inning to secure the win.

Prior to Cabrera’s blast, most of the damage for Florida came courtesy of starting pitcher Brad Penny. Penny got the scoring started in the second with a bases-clearing three-run double.

Until the eighth, a solo home run from Marcus Giles in the fourth had accounted for the Braves’ only run. Cabrera followed with an RBI single in the fifth to make it 4-1. The Marlins added a run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Juan Encarnacion.

For Cabrera, the blast off Cunnane would serve as the 12th and final home run of the regular season for the rookie and second game-winner in extra innings. It came on this day two decades ago.

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Mike Ferguson is a contributor for Fish on First, who covers Miami Marlins history. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson