20-year Marliniversary: Fish rally from 7 down to top Red Sox at Fenway

Compared to clubs in the American League and older Major League Baseball franchises, the Florida/Miami Marlins’ history at Fenway Park is minimal. On this day 20 years ago, however, the Marlins made franchise history at the historic venue by erasing a seven-run deficit.

The Florida Marlins scored four runs in each of the final two innings to complete the largest comeback in franchise history. The Marlins rallied to top the Boston Red Sox, 10-9.

Florida had opened the series with a 25-8 loss to the Red Sox. Through seven innings on June 28, 2003, another drubbing appeared in the cards as the Marlins were on the short end of a 9-2 score.

Against knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, the Marlins opened the eighth inning with three straight singles from Juan Pierre, Luis Castillo and Iván Rodríguez. After Mike Lowell popped out, Juan Encarnación gave Florida new life with a three-run blast over the “Green Monster” in left field.

With the score now 9-6, the Red Sox turned to Mike Timlin, who retired Derrek Lee and Miguel Cabrera to close the top of the eighth. Nate Bump worked a scoreless eighth for Florida. For the ninth, Boston turned to closer Brandon Lyon.

Brian Banks and Pierre came through with one-out singles, but after Castillo hit into a fielder’s choice, the Red Sox were one out from victory. On two occasions, Lyon was one strike away, but that strike never came.

Following an RBI single from Rodriguez to cut the deficit to 9-7, Lowell took Lyon’s 0-2 pitch to right field. His shot narrowly sailed over the short wall for a three-run homer.

For the first time since the fourth inning, Florida had the lead. Braden Looper faced the minimum on eight pitches in the ninth to seal the win. After Jason Varitek’s one-out double, Johnny Damon lined into a double play to end the contest. Pierre made a diving catch in centerfield before doubling off Varitek at second.

The Marlins scored runs in each of the first two innings to take an early lead before Nomar Garciaparra’s two-run home run tied the game in the fourth. Two-run doubles from Garciaparra and Gabe Kapler highlighted a seven-run sixth for the Red Sox.

Garciaparra finished with four RBIs while Kapler went 4-for-5 with three RBIs on his own in a losing effort. Pierre had four hits and two runs scored for Florida while Rodriguez, Lowell and Encarnacion each plated three runs.

In 2009, the Marlins tied a club record for the biggest comeback when they erased a seven-run deficit against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but those are the only instances in which the franchise was able to rally from seven runs down for victory. It was first accomplished at one of baseball’s most iconic venues on this day two decades ago. 

Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images