Mike Ferguson

Over his two seasons with the Florida Marlins, outfielder Eric Owens hit just nine home runs. Three of those, however, came in his first month with the club. On this day 25 years ago, Owens had perhaps his biggest blast with the Fish. His solo shot in the 10th inning off future Hall of Fame closer Billy Wagner lifted the Marlins to a thrilling 9-8 win over the Houston Astros. The Marlins had raced to a 5-0 lead at Enron Park on April 27, 2001. By the end of the fifth inning, however, that advantage had become an 8-5 deficit, thanks in part to a grand slam by Houston infielder Julio Lugo. Scoreless for four innings, the Florida bats came back to life in the seventh inning. Álex González’s RBI double cut the deficit to 8-6 before Cliff Floyd tied things up with a two-run home run off Mike Jackson an inning later. On the mound, Braden Looper and Antonio Alfonseca were able to work around errors in the eighth and ninth innings to keep the score tied. As the contest went to extra innings, Houston turned to Wagner. To open the 10th inning, the hard-throwing lefty got Luis Castillo to fly out. That brought Owens to the plate. With the count 2-2, Owens was able to drive Wagner’s fastball to right field and over the wall for the go-ahead home run. Wagner bounced back to retire Floyd and Preston Wilson, but the damage was done. In the bottom of the 10th, Alfonseca sealed the win with a 1-2-3 frame, striking out former Florida World Series hero Moisés Alou and Richard Hidalgo. On a night where the teams combined for 17 runs, they also combined for 23 hits. Owens had five of those, finishing with four runs scored. Floyd added three hits and three runs scored in the win. Mike Lowell drove in three runs. Hidalgo had a nice night for Houston, going 3-for-5 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored. Alou was 2-for-5 with two runs. Over nine seasons in the big leagues, Owens hit just 26 career home runs. His lone blast in extra innings came off a Hall of Famer and as a member of the Marlins. It happened on this day a quarter-century ago. View full article

Dismal months of June and August ultimately did in the Florida Marlins in 2011, but early on that year, the Fish had the look of a contender. On this day 15 years ago, the Marlins kicked off a three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers in thrilling fashion. Omar Infante’s walk-off single capped a two-run ninth as the Marlins rallied for a 5-4 victory. Through six innings at Sun Life Stadium on April 25, 2011, a pair of solo home runs from Chris Coghlan had accounted for all the Florida offense as the Marlins led 2-1. After struggling against Florida starter Ricky Nolasco, the Dodgers were able to find some offense against the Florida bullpen. Los Angeles took the lead with two runs in the seventh with Jamey Caroll’s RBI single serving as the go-ahead hit. James Loney plated another run in the eighth as the Dodgers pushed the lead to 4-2. The Marlins were able to get that run back in the bottom of the inning as Gaby Sánchez came through with an RBI single. The rally, however, came to an end after Infante was thrown out at third trying to tag up on a Giancarlo (then Mike) Stanton flyout. Brian Sanches worked a 1-2-3 ninth for Florida, but in the bottom of the inning, Los Angeles’ Jonathan Broxton appeared on the verge of doing likewise. After striking out Greg Dobbs and getting John Buck to ground out, Broxton was one strike away from slamming the door. Emilio Bonifácio, however, kept Florida alive by taking a 3-2 pitch for ball four. Hanley Ramírez followed with a single to put the tying run in scoring position. From there, the wheels fell off for the Dodgers defense. As pinch hitter Scott Cousins hit a slow roller to shortstop, Carroll charged, but the ball rolled under his glove and into left field, allowing Bonifácio to score the tying run from third. After intentionally walking Coghlan to load the bases, Infante came to the plate looking to atone for his mistake on the basepaths the inning prior. Infante lined Broxton’s 1-0 pitch into left field. Outfielder Jerry Sands originally came in on the ball and was unable to recover as it sailed over his head, allowing Ramírez to score the walk-off run. Prior to the misplay, Sands was in the midst of a solid night, going 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI. Coghlan finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored for the Marlins in the victory. Florida went on to clinch the three-game series with a 4-2 win the following night. The thrilling win in the series opener would serve as the second walk-off victory for the Marlins during the month of April and one of five for the year. It came on this day 15 years ago. View full article

After Aníbal Sánchez took a no-hitter into the ninth inning to open the Florida Marlins’ home series with the Colorado Rockies early during the 2011 season, Giancarlo Stanton (then known as Mike Stanton) capped it with a bang. On this day 15 years ago, Stanton’s three-run blast in the bottom of the eighth delivered the Marlins past the Rockies in the rubber game of a three-game series, 6-3. Like Sánchez two nights prior, Marlins starter Josh Johnson had kept the Rockies hitless through five innings at Sun Life Stadium on April 24, 2011. Florida finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth inning on a bases-clearing triple from Omar Infante. Colorado, however, fought back. After Jonathan Herrera’s RBI double got the Rockies on the board in the sixth, Colorado drew even at 3-3 with a pair of runs in the eighth against the Florida bullpen. Rockies lefty Matt Reynolds was able to strike out Chris Coghlan to open the bottom of the inning, but a pitching change to Matt Belisle was made shortly after. Infante was able to single off Belisle, who followed by striking out Hanley Ramírez. After Gaby Sánchez worked a six-pitch walk, Stanton came to the plate with two outs and the go-ahead run in scoring position. Stanton took the first pitch for a ball. The second pitch was in the strike zone and the Florida slugger didn’t miss it. On an offspeed pitch that got too much of the plate, Stanton turned on it for a no-doubter as the Marlins took a 6-3 lead. Juan Carlos Oviedo—then known as Leo Núñez—worked a 1-2-3 ninth to seal the win and collect the save. Lefty Mike Dunn was credited with the victory. In addition to Infante’s two hits, Stanton’s game-winning blast was the only other hit for Florida. It happened to be the biggest one of the game. It came on this day 15 years ago. View full article

Aníbal Sánchez was the last Florida Marlins pitcher to throw a no-hitter at what was originally called Joe Robbie Stadium. Although he threw just one no-no as a member of the Fish, he was three outs away from a second on this day 15 years ago. Through eight innings, Sánchez had held Colorado without a hit at Sun Life Stadium on April 22, 2011. Despite being without a hit, the Rockies did get a first-inning run and trailed 4-1 as they came to bat in the top of the ninth. On the very first pitch of the ninth inning, Colorado’s Dexter Fowler put an end to the no-hit bid with a single through the right side. Although the no-hitter was no longer a possibility, Sánchez did face the minimum in the ninth. Fowler would be doubled off on a flyout by Jonathan Herrera before Carlos González grounded out to end the game. Sánchez finished the night with a one-hitter on 123 pitches with three walks and nine strikeouts. After the Rockies took advantage of a walk, passed ball and error to score the game’s first run, the Marlins drew even in the bottom of the first on a lead-off home run by Chris Coghlan. Florida manufactured a pair of runs an inning later to go ahead for good. Gaby Sánchez capped the scoring with a homer to lead off the third off Colorado starter Jhoulys Chacín. While Colorado managed just one hit, Coghlan, Omar Infante, Gaby Sánchez and Emilio Bonifácio each had two of the nine for Florida. As a member of the Detroit Tigers in 2013, Sánchez again lost a no-hitter in the ninth against the Minnesota Twins. After tossing a no-hitter for the Marlins against the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2006, the victory over Colorado would be Sánchez’s second of three one-hitters as a member of the club. It came on this day 15 years ago. View full article

For the Florida Marlins in 1996, Gary Sheffield set a single-season home run record that would last for more than two decades. One of his more heroic blasts from that memorable season came on this day 30 years ago. Down by four runs through five and a half innings and by three at the seventh-inning stretch, Sheffield’s three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh capped a four-run inning as the Marlins rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers to complete the three-game series sweep, 5-4. Through four innings at Joe Robbie Stadium on April 21, 1996, things were scoreless. Todd Hollandsworth, the eventual National League Rookie of the Year and later a 2003 World Series champion with the Marlins, singled in the first run in the top of the fifth off Florida ace Kevin Brown. An inning later, Eric Karros unloaded off Brown with a three-run homer to turn a one-run lead for Los Angeles into a 4-0 lead. In the bottom of the sixth, the Marlins were able to get on the board, thanks to three straight RBI singles from Sheffield, Jeff Conine and Terry Pendleton. In the bottom of the seventh, Florida got its first cracks at the Los Angeles bullpen. After six strong innings from starter Pedro Astacio, manager Tommy Lasorda turned to Antonio Osuna. Charles Johnson was able to single off Osuna to start the Florida seventh, but the right-hander responded by getting Kurt Abbott to fly out before striking out Andre Dawson. Quilvio Veras followed with a single to bring the tying run to the plate, and just like that, Osuna’s night was over. Lefty Scott Radinsky was tasked with facing Joe Orsulak, and for the most part, he did his job, getting Orsulak to roll one to first. Radinsky ran over to cover, but Karros’ throw was off target, allowing a run to score. As Sheffield came to the plate, Lasorda went back to the bullpen and righty Darren Hall. Hall gave up five runs in the eighth in the series opener. Against Sheffield, he fared no better. On a 2-1 pitch, Sheffield was able to line one over the wall in center field for the go-ahead three-run home run. What had been a 4-0 deficit just an inning prior had become a 5-4 Marlins lead. David Weathers and Yorkis Pérez combined to strand a runner in scoring position in the eighth. Pérez and Terry Mathews combined to retire the Dodgers in order in the ninth. Although the contest was scoreless through four innings, it did have some fireworks early on. After Astacio hit Greg Colbrunn in the helmet with a pitch in the second, Brown threw behind the Dodgers pitcher with two outs in the top of the third, causing benches to clear. No ejections were made. The victory served as the second comeback win of the series and completed the three-game sweep for the Marlins. The Dodgers outhit Florida 10-6, but two of the Marlins’ hits, including the biggest one of the night, belonged to Sheffield. It came on this day three decades ago. View full article

It was during the 1996 season that the Florida Marlins hit the 80-win mark for the first time. The season, however, didn't start off great. Florida went just 4-11 over its first 15 games, but after avoiding the three-game sweep at the hand of the Atlanta Braves, the Marlins started to turn things around with a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers. That series started on this day 30 years ago. Scoreless through seven and a half innings at Joe Robbie Stadium on April 19, 1996, the Marlin bats finally woke up. Florida scored five times with two outs in the eighth to top the Dodgers, 5-0. For seven innings, Los Angeles' Ismael Valdez and Florida's Pat Rapp had traded zeroes. After Jay Powell worked around a two-out walk for Florida in the top of the eighth, the Marlins finally got a crack at the Dodgers' bullpen. Against Darren Hall, Joe Orsulak started the eighth with a single, but the right-hander responded by retiring a couple of big bats. After Gary Sheffield popped out, Hall fanned Jeff Conine. The third out, however, proved to be elusive. Terry Pendleton followed with a single to right field, but a misplay by Dodgers outfielder Raúl Mondesí allowed the ball to roll all the way to the wall and for pinch runner Jesús Tavárez to score. That's all Florida would need, but not all it would get. Greg Colbrunn followed with an RBI double to extend the lead to 2-0. After Charles Johnson walked, Kurt Abbott belted Hall's 1-0 pitch over the left-field wall for a three-run home run to turn what had been a scoreless game into a romp. Hall was able to get Powell, the opposing reliever, to fly out but the damage was done. Robb Nen retired the top of the Dodgers' lineup in order to seal the win as the Marlins' staff hurled a three-hit shutout. Pendleton, Colbrunn and Abbott each finished with two of the 10 Florida hits. The Marlins went on to complete the three-game sweep and closed April by winning seven of 12. The 5-0 victory over the Dodgers was one of three shutouts from the month. It came on this day three decades ago. View full article

During the 2021 season, the Miami Marlins were involved in 20 games that ended in walk-off fashion. The Fish were 8-12 in those contests. The first win came on this day five years ago. In a contest in which the Marlins trailed in both the ninth and 10th innings, catcher Jorge Alfaro played the role of hero. His two-run double capped the comeback as Miami rallied for a 7-6 win over the San Francisco Giants. Through six innings at loanDepot Park on April 17, 2021, the Marlins led 3-0. In the seventh, San Francisco was able to get to the Miami pitching staff for five runs. After Brandon Belt led off the top of the seventh with a solo home run off Miami starter Sandy Alcántara, Brandon Crawford singled home Evan Longoria to cut the deficit to 3-2 later in the inning. The Giants took their first lead two batters later when Austin Slater took lefty Richard Bleier deep for a three-run home run. Down 5-3, Miami right-hander Zach Pop was able to keep the deficit at two by striking out the side in the top of the ninth. As the contest shifted to the bottom of the ninth, the Giants turned to closer Jake McGee. Miami opened the inning with three straight singles from Jazz Chisholm Jr., Miguel Rojas and Alfaro to cut the deficit to 5-4. McGee was able to settle in and induce consecutive popouts off the bats of Jon Berti and Corey Dickerson. With the Marlins down to their last out, Starling Marte ripped the first pitch he saw from McGee into left field for the game-tying single. A walk loaded the bases, but McGee was able to get the game to extra innings. In the top of the 10th, San Francisco regained the lead on an RBI double by Belt off Yimi García. With a placed runner at second base to begin the bottom of the 10th inning, former Marlins lefty Jarlín García was able to strike out Brian Anderson to start the frame. Chisholm followed by drawing a walk, but after Chad Wallach flied out, the game was left in the hands of Alfaro with two on. After taking the first pitch for a ball, Alfaro ripped García’s breaking pitch to left field. It rolled all the way to the wall as both runners scored standing up for a walk-off two-run double to complete the comeback. On a night where the Marlins had 15 hits, Alfaro was one of five Miami players to finish with multi-hit games, going 2-for-6 with three RBIs. Dickerson finished 4-for-6 with a run scored. Chisholm and Marte each scored twice. Belt, Crawford and former Marlins infielder Donovan Solano each had two of the 10 hits for the Giants. During his Major League Baseball career, Alfaro would record walk-off hits both for and against the Marlins. Two of those came during his final season with the club in 2021. The first of the two and the first walk-off win of Miami’s 2021 campaign came on this day five years ago. View full article

Over his 15-year career in Major League Baseball, third baseman Terry Pendleton accomplished many things. An All-Star, batting champion, MVP and three-time Gold Glove winner, Pendleton collected nearly 1,900 hits and helped the St. Louis Cardinals win the 1987 World Series. Not known for his power, Pendleton hit 140 career home runs, which included three walk-offs. The last of those came on this day 30 years as a member of the Florida Marlins. Through nine innings at Joe Robbie Stadium on April 6, 1996, the Marlins and San Francisco Giants had played to a scoreless tie. After Kevin Brown gave Florida eight scoreless innings on the mound, Robb Nen added two more out of the bullpen, striking out four. For San Francisco, starter Mark Leiter threw nine scoreless frames. As the Giants went to the bullpen, Mark Dewey failed to record an out. After working the count to 2-2, the switch-hitting Pendleton went the other way for a solo walk-off blast to give the Marlins a 1-0 victory. Pendleton and catcher Charles Johnson each had two of the five hits for Florida. Shawon Dunston had two hits for San Francisco. Brown was able to scatter seven hits on the mound before Nen tossed consecutive 1-2-3 innings to pick up the win. In parts of two seasons with the Marlins, Pendleton hit .273 with 21 home runs and 136 RBIs. His lone walk-off blast in teal and the last of his career came on this day three decades ago. View full article

An All-Star for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2010, catcher John Buck signed with the Florida Marlins prior to the start of the 2011 season. On this day 15 years ago, Buck made his presence felt in his Marlins debut. The Marlins and New York Mets were scoreless through three and a half innings on opening day at Sun Life Stadium on April 1, 2011. That changed with one swing of the bat from Buck as the Marlins went on to collect a 6-2 victory. The Marlins had gone in order in the second and third innings against New York starter Mike Pelfrey, but after Hanley Ramírez flew out to open the bottom of the fourth, walks to Giancarlo Stanton and Logan Morris bookended a Gaby Sánchez double. That set the stage for Buck. Buck worked an eight-pitch at-bat in the second before flying out. In the fourth, Buck again saw eight Pelfrey pitches. This time, however, he was able to get the good part of the bat onto the ball, depositing a grand slam into the right-center field seats. Buck’s blast broke a scoreless tie and put the Marlins ahead for good. After Sánchez extended the lead with an RBI single in the fifth, the Mets finally got to Florida starter Josh Johnson, who took a no-hitter into the seventh, with a pair of runs. New York brought the tying run to the plate, but reliever Mike Dunn was able to fan Scott Hairston to end the threat. A solo blast from Morrison to lead off the bottom of the eight capped the scoring. Juan Carlos Oviedo, then known as Leo Nuñez, retired the Mets in order to seal the victory. Johnson picked up the win, allowing two runs on just three hits in 6 ⅔ innings. Buck and Sánchez each had two of Florida’s 10 hits. Buck never equaled his 2010 totals when he hit .281 with 20 home runs and 66 RBIs but was serviceable in his two seasons with the Marlins. Buck hit just .227 in 2011, but his 16 home runs and 57 RBIs were the most for a Florida catcher in four years. He began his stay in South Florida with a bang on this day 15 years ago. View full article

Al Leiter spent just parts of three total seasons with the Florida Marlins over two stints, but when it comes to pitching, he holds a notable franchise first and started perhaps the biggest game in club history. A native of New Jersey born on Oct. 23, 1965, Leiter turns 60 years old today. He was 30 when he joined the Marlins. Leiter spent his first nine seasons in Major League Baseball with the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays. A two-time World Series champion with Toronto in 1992 and 1993, Leiter signed as a free agent with the Marlins prior to the 1996 season—a season that would serve as his best in the big leagues. For the first time in his career, Leiter was an All-Star in 1996, becoming the first left-handed pitcher to represent the Marlins in the Midsummer Classic. For the season, Leiter set a career-high for wins, going 16-12 with a 2.93 ERA in a career-best 215 ⅓ innings pitched. That season, Leiter led baseball with 119 walks but he also allowed the fewest hits per nine innings (6.4). The lasting moment from Leiter's first season in South Florida came on May 12 when he tossed the first no-hitter in Marlins history in Florida's 11-0 win over the Colorado Rockies. 6e7icw_1.mp4 Leiter's 1997 season wasn't as good statistically as he finished 11-9 with a 4.34 ERA. Still, Leiter helped the Marlins make the postseason for the first time and in Game 7 of the World Series against the Cleveland Guardians at Pro Player Stadium, it was Leiter who got the ball. Although the lefty from New Jersey didn't factor in the decision, he put forward a quality start, allowing just two runs on four hits in six innings while striking out seven. Florida was able to erase an early two-run deficit to down Cleveland 3-2 in 11 innings. For the third time in his career, Leiter was a World Series champion. After spending parts of his first three seasons with the Yankees, Leiter was sent back to the "Big Apple" following the 1997 season. In a deal that involved pitchers A.J. Burnett and Jesús Sánchez. Leiter was traded to the New York Mets where he'd spend seven seasons. In 2000, he was an All-Star for the second time and pitched for a third team in the World Series as the Mets fell to the Yankees in five games in the famed "Subway Series." For Leiter, his final season would be something of a reunion tour. Prior to the start of the 2005 season, he again signed with the Marlins as a free agent. At 39 years old, Leiter struggled for Florida, going 3-7 with a 6.64 ERA. Leiter was traded back to the Yankees in the middle of the season and had the opportunity to pitch in the postseason for one final time. After not pitching in the postseason during his first stint with the Bronx Bombers, Leiter appeared in four games in 2005 and went 1-0 as New York fell to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in five games in the American League Division Series. With a 30-28 career record and 4.07 ERA for the Marlins, Leiter remains 10th in franchise history with a .517 winning percentage (min. 50 decisions to qualify). The first Marlin to throw a no-hitter and the only member of the franchise to start on the mound in Game 7 of the World Series turns 60 years old today. View full article

During the then Florida Marlins' run to the 2003 World Series title, the Fish clinched their final two series at historic venues -- Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium. It would be 17 years later before the now Miami Marlins returned to the playoffs, but that didn't stop them from once again using the "friendly confines" of Wrigley to send the Chicago Cubs home for the winter. On this day five years ago, the Marlins improved to 7-0 in playoff series. They swept the best-of-three National League Wild Card Series and advanced to the National League Division Series with a 2-0 win over the Cubs. The Marlins used a five-run seventh inning to take Game 1 two days prior by a 5-1 score. As they arrived for Game 2 on Oct. 2, 2020, the offense was again slow to get going. For the second straight game, Miami had been held scoreless through six innings. To that point, the Marlins had managed just two hits off Chicago starter Yu Darvish. Darvish opened the top of the seventh with two quick outs. Garrett Cooper followed with a bang to start a two-out rally. On a 2-2 pitch from Darvish, Cooper hammered one into the empty left-field stands for the go-ahead solo home run. Now with a 1-0 lead, Matt Joyce followed with a double that bounced off the glove of a diving Ian Happ. Following a walk to Miguel Rojas, Magneuris Sierra lined a breaking pitch into right field for an RBI single. Darvish's day was done, but so was the Miami damage. On the mound, the Marlins benefitted from five shutout innings from rookie starter Sixto Sánchez, who allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out six. Brad Boxberger, Richard Bleier, Yimi García and Brandon Kintzler combined to allow just one hit and two baserunners the rest of the way. After giving up a lead-off double to Jason Heyward in the bottom of the ninth, Kintzler settled in to strike out the side to collect the save. For the second game in a row, the seventh inning and the Miami pitching staff proved to be magical. The Marlins were swept by the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series to end their run of consecutive postseason series won. The sweep of the National League Central champions at Wrigley, however, remains the last playoff series won by the Marlins. It was clinched on this day five years ago. View full article

In 33 years as a franchise, only two members of the Florida/Miami Marlins franchise have ever led the National League in saves. The first saves title in franchise history wrapped up on this day 25 years ago. With 44 saves to his name, Antonio Alfonseca entered the final day of the 2000 regular season having wrapped up the outright saves title in Major League Baseball the night before. Alfonseca had two more than San Diego Padres closer (and former Marlin) Trevor Hoffman, as the Florida Marlins went for the sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies on Oct. 1, 2000. On the final day of the regular season, Alfonseca added one final save for good measure in a 7-5 victory for the Marlins. He needed 14 pitches to close things out. With a two-run lead, Alfonseca took the hill in the top of the ninth to face the heart of the Philadelphia order. Alfonseca started the inning by getting Bobby Abreu to pop out. After giving up a single to Pat Burrell, the Marlins closer shut Philadelphia down with back-to-back strikeouts of Travis Lee and Kevin Jordan on just seven total pitches. Alfonseca’s 45th save tied the Florida record set by Bryan Harvey in the inaugural season of 1993 and preserved the win for starter Ryan Dempster. Dempster allowed three runs in five innings of work and finished the year with a record of 14-10. All of the Florida offense came over two innings. After the Phillies pushed across two runs in the top of the first, the Marlins scored four times in the bottom half of the inning. After Preston Wilson’s two-run double tied the game, Mike Lowell and Mike Redmond added RBI singles. Following a run for Philadelphia in the top half of the inning, the Marlins added three more in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Lowell and a two-run home run by Derrek Lee. The Phillies pushed across two in the sixth to cap the scoring. As for Alfonseca, his club saves record would last four years before Armando Benitez recorded 47 saves in 2004. Benitez tied Jason Isringhausen of the St. Louis Cardinals for the National League lead in 2004. Alfonseca remains the only Marlins reliever to win the saves title outright. He wrapped up that campaign by tying a club record on this day a quarter-century ago. View full article