Mike Ferguson

Casey McGehee and Marcell Ozuna came up with back-to-back blasts to lift the Marlins past Milwaukee a decade ago. During his prime, Francisco Rodríguez was one of the premier closers in baseball. On this day 10 years ago, however, the Miami Marlins got to the six-time All-Star with back-to-back home runs to break a ninth inning tie and propel the Fish to a 6-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. The Marlins never trailed at Miller Park on Sept. 9, 2014, but as the contest went to the ninth tied 3-3, Milwaukee turned to its All-Star closer. During an All-Star campaign in which Rodríguez led baseball with 66 games finished, the man known as "K-Rod" had a bit of a rough end to August. The Marlins made sure those struggles continued into September. The night started well for Rodríguez, who retired Christian Yelich and Donovan Solano on just six total pitches to start the top of the ninth. A two-out walk to Giancarlo Stanton, however, opened the door for Casey McGehee to be the hero against his former team. One pitch after Stanton stole second to move into scoring position, McGehee unloaded on a backdoor slider, smashing it over the wall in left-center field for the go-ahead two-run home run to give Miami a 5-3 lead. The Marlins, though, weren't done. After working the count full, Marcell Ozuna provided an insurance run with a blast of his own by tomahawking a fastball over the wall in left field to extend the lead to 6-3. Milwaukee was able to bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the inning, but Steve Cishek collected the save by getting Khris Davis and Jason Rogers to fly out to end the contest. Ozuna finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs in the win. Yelich, Solano and McGehee each added two hits. Aramis Ramírez finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs for Milwaukee. Although Rodríguez was named an All-Star for the fifth time in 2014, he did give up a career-high 14 home runs that season. The last two came from Marlins on back-to-back blasts in the ninth inning. They happened on this day a decade ago. View full article

On this day 25 years ago, the Marlins tied the game in the ninth and 12th before walking off the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 13th inning. For the 1999 Florida Marlins, highlights were few and far between. One of the those few was a home sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in early September. On this day 25 years ago, the Marlins twice had their backs against the wall. After drawing even in the ninth and 12th innings, Mark Kotsay delivered the walk-off single in the 13th to top the Dodgers, 5-4. After Dave Hansen's sacrifice fly in the top of the ninth gave Los Angeles a 3-2 lead, the Marlins came to the plate in the bottom of the inning, needing a run to stay alive at Pro Player Stadium on Sept. 8, 1999. Dodgers closer Jeff Shaw got Florida's Danny Bautista to fly out to begin the inning, but Todd Dunwoody followed with a single and advanced to second on a misplay in left field by Todd Hollandsworth. One pitch later, Álex González singled up the middle to score Dunwoody and tie things up again. Florida's Jesús Sánchez and Brian Edmonson traded zeroes with Los Angeles' Mike Maddux over the next two innings, but the Dodgers regained the lead in the top of the 12th. After José Vizcaíno put Los Angeles back in front 4-3, Preston Wilson led off the bottom of the inning with a solo blast off Alan Mills on a 3-2 pitch, the seventh of the at-bat. The Marlins loaded the bases with one out, but Onan Masaoka was able to fan Dunwoody and González to end the inning. Rafael Medina faced the minimum in the 13th by getting former Marlins World Series hero Devon White to roll into a double play. That set the stage for Florida to walk it off in the bottom of the inning. Dave Berg opened the frame by drawing a walk. After Chris Clapinski's bunt single and a throwing error put runners on the corners with nobody out, Masaoka was forced to walk Wilson to load the bases with nobody out. Masaoka was able to strike out Kevin Orie and get ahead of Kotsay, but getting the Florida right fielder out proved too tall of a task. On a 1-2 pitch, Kotsay belted one to the warning track, well over the heads of a drawn-in infield and outfield. The hit served as a single and ended a four-plus-hour contest that began with a rain delay. Prior to the ninth, all of the offense came in the first two innings. After Kotsay singled home the first run in the first, Paul Lo Duca singled in two for Los Angeles in the top of the second. Cliff Floyd drew the Marlins even with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning. Kotsay and Wilson each finished with three hits for the Marlins in the win. Hollandsworth and Adrián Beltré each had three hits and two runs scored for the Dodgers. The victory gave the Marlins their final series sweep and last extra-innings win of the year. Kotsay ended it in the 13th on this day a quarter-century ago. View full article

Five years ago, a hitter faced his brother, the pitcher, for the first time in Major League Baseball history. On this day five years ago, two non-contending teams squared off in a late-season rubber game to cap a three-game series. The Miami Marlins rallied from an early four-run deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 10-7. Although not much was on the line, the contest featured a Major League Baseball first. Miami reliever Brian Moran made his big-league debut in the bottom of the fourth at PNC Park on Sept. 5, 2019. After retiring Bryan Reynolds on his first career pitch, Moran looked home to see a familiar face: his younger brother, Colin Moran. It marked the first time in big-league history that two brothers squared off in an at-bat. It was a six-pitch at-bat, but the older Moran ultimately won the battle by striking out his young brother looking for his first career punch-out. After hitting Josh Bell, Brian Moran capped a scoreless inning and his night by getting Melky Cabrera to fly out. In addition to winning the matchup with his younger brother, Brian Moran would go on to get his first career win. Perhaps sparked by the older Moran's effort in the fourth, the Marlins scored four runs in the top of the fifth to turn a 5-2 deficit into a 6-5 lead. After a two-run single by Isan Díaz tied the game, an error by Colin Moran allowed Miami to go ahead for good. Down 5-1 before Harold Ramírez's home run to lead off the second inning, the Marlins scored nine straight runs. After taking the lead in the fifth, Miami tacked on with two runs in the sixth and two more in the eighth. Reynolds got the scoring started for Pittsburgh with a two-run home run during a five-inning first. He and Bell would add solo blasts in the ninth to cap the scoring and end the Marlins' string of nine unanswered runs. As a team, the Marlins finished with 16 hits as Magneuris Sierra led the way with three. Jon Berti, Starlin Castro, Neil Walker, Jorge Alfaro and Díaz each finished with two. Walker drove in a team-high three runs while Berti scored four times. As for Brian Moran, he would pick up just two wins—both with the Marlins—in 18 career games. He made history by striking out his younger brother on this day five years ago. View full article

On this day five years ago, a homer by Miguel Rojas tied it in the ninth before a Garrett Cooper blast won it in the 10th. For the 2019 Miami Marlins, the calendar turning to September—the final full month of the regular season—was a welcomed sight. On this day five years ago, however, the Marlins got their first win of the month in thrilling fashion. Down to their last out, Miguel Rojas tied things up with a solo home run. Garrett Cooper's solo blast in the 10th turned out to be the game-winner as Miami rallied past the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-4. Trailing 4-3, things looked bleak for Miami as Rojas came to the plate with two outs against Pittsburgh's Felipe Vazquez in the top of the ninth at PNC Park on Sept. 3, 2019. Jason Martin scored on a wild pitch in the previous half-inning to give Pittsburgh the lead. Vazquez began the ninth by retiring Martín Prado and Jon Berti. To that point in the season, Rojas had just four homers. On a 2-1 fastball, the Miami shortstop was able to crush it over the wall in straightaway center for the game-tying blast. In the bottom of the ninth, the Pirates came close to walking it off. Following back-to-back two-out walks by reliever Tyler Kinley, Adam Frazier rolled Adam Conley's first pitch of the night to shortstop. Frazier reached on an infield single, but rather than stopping at third, Pablo Reyes was easily thrown out by Cooper at the plate to preserve the tie. Following the heads-up play in the field, Cooper delivered at the plate in the top of the 10th. On a 1-0 hanger from Pittsburgh's Parker Markel, Cooper belted a no-doubter past the seats in left-center field to give the Marlins the lead for good. José Ureña worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the 10th to pick up his second career save and first of the season. Conley was credited with the win. Cooper finished 2-for-5 at the plate with a pair of RBIs in the win. Frazier had a monster night for the Pirates, going 3-for-4 with a lead-off home run and three RBIs. The thrilling win over Pittsburgh would serve as the final extra-inning win of the season for the Marlins and one of seven that year. It came on this day five years ago. View full article

On this date in 2009, the longtime Marlins role player was the big hero. Used mostly as a pinch-hitter or utility player throughout his career, Wes Helms was a good guy to have in the clubhouse and on the bench. After making his Major League Baseball debut for the Atlanta Braves, Helms enjoyed stints with the Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies and two with the Florida Marlins. Helms was a player always willing to do whatever was asked of him. On this day 15 years ago, the Marlins needed Helms to come up with a big hit and he did just that. After dropping the first two games of a four-game set, Florida had let a big lead evaporate against the Atlanta Braves at Land Shark Stadium on Sept. 2, 2009. The Marlins had scored five runs in the sixth inning and took a 7-3 lead into the seventh, but Atlanta pushed three runs across in the seventh via a Chipper Jones bases-clearing double. Yunel Escobar tied the game with a solo home run off the Marlins closer once known as Leo Nuñez in the ninth. The contest headed to the bottom of the ninth 7-7. After Atlanta reliever Mike Gonzalez got Jorge Cantú to pop out to lead off the inning, Helms was called upon to pinch-hit. He ran the count full before blasting the sixth pitch from Gonzalez into the left field stands for a walk-off solo home run as the Marlins prevailed 8-7. The blast would serve as the second walk-off home run of Helms’ career and the first with Florida. Dan Uggla had a two-run home run to tie the game for the Marlins in the third. Brett Carroll, who also entered as a pinch-hitter, had a three-run double during Florida’s five-run sixth inning. Helms would hit just three more home runs over the remainder of his career, but the 2009 blast served as the only walk-off during his tenure with the Marlins. It came on this day 15 years ago. View full article

On this day five years ago, Harold Ramírez hit his second walk-off extra-innings homer in less than a month. A native of Colombia, Harold Ramírez has put together a solid big-league career. Nearly a .290 career hitter, Ramírez has never supplied much power, but showed the knack for the dramatic home run in August 2019. Ramírez has just two career walk-off home runs to his name, but both came in the same month, both in extra innings, and both as a member of the Miami Marlins. The second of those two came on this day five years ago as Ramírez's 12th-inning blast propelled the Marlins past the Cincinnati Reds, 4-3. The Marlins hadn't scored since the sixth inning as Ramírez came to the plate to lead off the bottom of the 12th at Marlins Park on Aug. 29, 2019. Facing Cincinnati's Raisel Iglesias, Ramírez saw just three pitches before sending the South Florida crowd home happy. On a 1-1 fastball left up, Ramírez was able to turn on it and lift a towering shot to left field and into the Cincinnati bullpen for his second walk-off blast of the month. The Miami outfielder opened August with a walk-off shot against the Minnesota Twins' Cody Stashak—also in the 12th inning. Although it took 12 innings to end the contest, both teams found offense early. After Aristides Aquino got the Reds on the board with a two-run home run in the top of the first, Jon Berti cut the lead in half with a lead-off shot in the bottom of the inning. Solo home runs from Austin Dean in the fifth and Starlin Castro in the sixth gave Miami a 3-2 lead, but Aquino tied the game with an RBI single in the eighth. Aquino finished with three of the sixth hits for Cincinnati. Ramírez, Castro, and Jorge Alfaro each finished with two hits for Miami. Tyler Kinley retired all six batters he faced to earn the win for the Marlins. The win would serve as Miami's lone victory over the Reds in seven meetings during the 2019 season. The victory marked the first time in franchise history that four or more solo home runs had accounted for all the team's offense. It was Ramírez's blast that ultimately ended the contest on this day five years ago. View full article

For the second year in a row, Juan Encarnación killed the Colorado Rockies with a game-winning home run. Outfielder Juan Encarnación hit just one career walk-off home run and that came for the Florida Marlins in Dontrelle Willis' debut in 2003 against the Colorado Rockies. Although that served as his only walk-off blast, it wasn't the only game-winning homer of his career. It also wasn't the only one against Colorado. On this day 20 years ago, Encarnación gave the Rockies horrific flashbacks. His two-run home run in the eighth turned a one-run deficit into a one-run lead for Florida in a 4-3 victory over Colorado. Encarnación had plated the Marlins only two runs on a first-inning single as they came to bat in the bottom of the eighth at Pro Player Stadium on Aug. 28, 2004. Trailing 3-2, Jeff Conine started the frame with a solid single on the first pitch of the at-bat from Steve Reed. Encarnación was initially sent out to bunt, but with two strikes, was given the go-ahead to swing away. Failing to get the bunt down turned out to be a blessing in disguise. On a 2-2 pitch from Reed, Encarnación pulled one over the left-field wall for the go-ahead blast. Closer Armando Benítez needed just seven pitches to record a 1-2-3 ninth and collect the save. Despite leaving with a 3-2 deficit, Carl Pavano picked up the win for Florida, allowing three runs on seven hits in eighth innings. A three-run home run from Clint Barmes in the third accounted for all the Colorado offense. Miguel Cabrera finished with three of the nine hits for the Marlins. Juan Pierre and Encarnación each added two knocks. The Marlins would go on to sweep the three-game series with Colorado the following day, which began a franchise-record-tying nine-game winning streak. A member of the Marlins' 2003 championship team, Encarnación began the 2004 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers before being re-acquired by Florida before the trade deadline. His first home run in his return to the Marlins turned out to be a game-winner to cap a four-RBI night. It came on this day two decades ago. View full article

On this day five years ago, a seven-run deficit proved to be small potatoes for the Miami Marlins as they set a Marlins Park record for runs scored. During the 2019 season, the Miami Marlins scored the fewest runs in the National League. On this day five years ago, however, the Miami lineup ran like a well-oiled machine. Wearing all white uniforms as part of Players' Weekend, the Marlins washed away any offensive struggles they had coming in. Miami tied a franchise record for largest comeback and set a Marlins Park record for runs scored as it erased a seven-run deficit to down the Philadelphia Phillies, 19-11. A three-run triple from Scott Kingery and a two-run double from Corey Dickerson helped Philadelphia race to a 7-0 lead in the third inning on Aug. 23, 2019. Before the fourth started, however, the contest was all tied up. Brian Anderson got Miami on the board by "taking one for the team" with the bases loaded in the bottom of the third. Following run-scoring singles from Garrett Cooper and Harold Ramírez, who singled home two, that cut the lead to 7-4, Isan Díaz belted a three-run home run on the seventh pitch of his at-bat to tie things up. That turned out to be short-lived as Philadelphia used RBI singles from Maikel Franco and Adam Haseley to go back in front, 9-7. Beginning with a five-run fifth, the Marlins went ahead for good with 12 unanswered runs. Following an error by Phillies third baseman Brad Miller in the bottom of the fifth that allowed two runs to score, Miami used a two-run double from Neil Walker to go in front to stay. With three runs in the sixth and four more in the eighth, the Marlins turned the contest into a rout. Starlin Castro belted a two-run homer in the sixth before he and Jon Berti went back-to-back with blasts in the eighth. Despite not starting the contest, Castro finished with three runs scored and five RBIs. Berti, Walker, Ramírez and catcher Jorge Alfaro each had three hits in the victory. Miami finished with 19 knocks as a team. Jean Segura finished with three hits and two runs scored for Philadelphia in the loss. The seven-run comeback tied a franchise record, previously done in Boston in 2003 and Arizona in 2009, and served as the largest comeback at home. With a stadium-record 19 Miami runs and 30 total runs, the contest served as the highest-scoring game at Marlins Park (now loanDepot park). It came on this day five years ago. View full article

On this date in 2004, the Marlins beat baseball’s best closer with a ninth-inning rally. A comeback didn’t seem realistic. Eric Gagne had a two-run cushion as the Florida Marlins came to the plate down 4-2 in the top of the ninth at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 18, 2004. Gagne had been virtually unhittable all season. But when all was said and done, on this day 20 years ago, the Marlins would push four runs across in a thrilling 6-4 victory to take the series. From 2002-04, the Los Angeles Dodgers closer set a record that may not be topped in this lifetime. Gagne converted 84 consecutive saves over three seasons. That streak came to an end the month before...and then the Marlins stunned him again. Striking out Florida second baseman Luis Castillo on just three pitches to start the frame, it looked like business as usual for Gagne. The next three Marlins, however, would record hits and force him to have to pitch under pressure. After a double by Miguel Cabrera, Mike Lowell and Jeff Conine put together back-to-back singles to cut the lead to 4-3. Juan Encarnación popped up for the second out before Paul Lo Duca—who had just been acquired from the Dodgers less than a month prior—walked to load the bases. With the bases juiced and two outs, Marlins manager Jack McKeon called on the all-time leader in pinch hits, Lenny Harris, to bat for catcher Mike Redmond. With the count 1-1, Harris delivered a bases-clearing double to center to give the Marlins the lead. What Gagne was unable to do, Florida closer Armando Benitez was. Benitez struck out a pair of Dodgers in a perfect ninth to earn the save. Guillermo Mota, who came from Los Angeles to Miami in the Lo Duca trade, worked a scoreless eighth to pick up the win. The loss was the first for Los Angeles when leading after eight innings in 152 games (Gagne’s streak-busting blown save versus the Arizona Diamondbacks was ultimately a 6-5 Dodgers win). It happened on this day two decades ago. View full article

A Marlins memory from 2004. After winning their second World Series the previous year, the Florida Marlins could sense another postseason run slipping away by the latter parts of August 2004. On this day 20 years ago, the Marlins regained their spark with a thrilling comeback win over the Milwaukee Brewers. Florida had slipped to two games below .500 after dropping the series opener at Miller Park. Following a 11-1 win victory in the middle game, the Marlins were looking to even their record as the clubs met for the rubber game on Aug. 15, 2004. The Brewers led most of the way, but two runs in the ninth and two more in the 10th were the difference as Florida rallied for a 5-3 victory. The Marlins were unable to get anything against Milwaukee starter Doug Davis, who tossed seven shutout innings. Against the Brewers' bullpen, however, it would be a different story. Trailing 3-0, Miguel Cabrera got the Marlins on the board in the eighth inning with a solo home run off Matt Wise. After Nate Bump was able to leave the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning, a fielding error by Brewers second baseman Bill Hall to open the ninth proved to be the break the Marlins needed. With Álex González standing at first, Milwaukee closer Danny Kolb was able to get pinch-hitter Lenny Harris to fly out, but lead-off man Juan Pierre followed with an RBI triple. Two pitches later, Luis Castillo grounded the game-tying single up the middle. Kolb was able to prevent further damage, but Rudy Seánez countered with a 1-2-3 ninth for Florida. Ben Hendrickson opened the 10th by retiring the first two Marlins hitters he faced, but the third out proved to be elusive. Following a four-pitch walk to Juan Encarnación and a single from González, pinch-hitter Damion Easley lined a two-run double down the first-base line to give the Marlins their first lead, 5-3. Florida closer Armando Benítez struck out two during a 1-2-3 bottom of the 10th to record the save. Despite being shut out for seven innings, the Marlins outhit Milwaukee 11-7. Cabrera and catcher Paul Lo Duca each finished with two hits in the win. Russell Branyan finished 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs scored for the Brewers. With the win, the Marlins got back to .500 at 58-58. They beat the Los Angeles Dodgers the following day to get back over .500 and never fell under again in 2004. The comeback win over Milwaukee came during a stretch in which the Marlins won 16 of 20 games. The latter part of September, however, killed any hope of a return to the postseason. Florida's win in Milwaukee served as its final extra-innings win of the year. It came on this day two decades ago. View full article

On this date in 1999, the Marlins reached the emotional high point of their season by wrapping up a series full of last at-bat wins. In late June, the Miami Marlins found some magic against the St Louis Cardinals and Seattle Mariners, putting together three straight walk-off wins. In mid-August 1999, the Florida Marlins did likewise by completing a three-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants. The Marlins won all three games in walk-off fashion, with the final of those wins coming on this day 25 years ago. Although it wasn't a season to remember, Florida was feeling good about itself entering the series, coming off a sweep of the Colorado Rockies at home, allowing just one run in each of the three games. They would continue their winning ways against the Giants. In the series opener on Aug. 9, the Marlins overcame a 4-0 deficit in the eighth inning for a 5-4 win. Mike Lowell tied the contest in the eighth with a two-out grand slam off John Johnstone. After Jesús Sánchez worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the ninth for Florida, the Marlins wasted no time threatening in the bottom half. Preston Wilson doubled and Luis Castillo laid down a bunt single off Johnstone, then utility man Dave Berg came through with a walk-off single against former Florida closer Robb Nen. Over the next two days, the Marlins would need extra innings. On Aug. 10, the Giants forced extras by drawing even against Florida closer Antonio Alfonseca on an RBI single by Bill Mueller in the top of the ninth to even the game, 7-7. After a perfect inning from Alfonseca in the 10th and two scoreless frames from Brian Edmondson, Berg again delivered the walk-off single. After Danny Bautista and Castillo came up with back-to-back one-out singles, Berg ended the game with a line drive into the left-center field gap off San Francisco’s Felix Rodriguez as Florida prevailed, 8-7. On Aug. 11, the Marlins needed 10 innings to complete the sweep with a 6-5 victory. Florida trailed 5-1 entering the bottom of the sixth before drawing to within one on a three-run Lowell homer. Down 5-4 in the ninth, Florida forced extras with an unearned run off Nen on a two-out RBI single from outfielder Todd Dunwoody. Lowell would end the game and the series an inning later with a walk-off single down the third-base line against Nen to score Chris Clapinski. The three victories extended Florida’s winning streak to six at the time; it ultimately ended at a season-high-tying seven games with a loss to the San Diego Padres on Aug. 14. The thrilling sweep of the Giants marked the first time in Marlins history that the club had notched walk-off wins in three straight days or in three straight games. That series came to an end on this day a quarter-century ago. View full article

On this day five years ago, the Marlins erased a four-run ninth-inning deficit to top the Braves in 10 innings. Over the last decade or so, the Atlanta Braves have found a way to break the Miami Marlins' hearts late several times. On this day five years ago, however, the roles were reversed. After forcing extra innings with four runs in the ninth, the Marlins used a sacrifice fly from Martín Prado in the 10th inning to complete the comeback. Prado's sacrifice fly lifted Miami to a 7-6 win over its National League East rivals. It looked as though a three-run blast from Atlanta's Johan Camargo in the top of the ninth had put the game out of reach at Marlins Park on Aug. 10, 2019. Camargo's bomb pushed the Braves' lead to 6-2, but the usually reliable Mark Melancon was unable to shut the door in the bottom of the frame. Melancon started his night by striking out Harold Ramírez, but the Marlins followed with four straight singles from Prado, Bryan Holaday, Curtis Granderson and Jon Berti. With the score now 6-3 and the tying run on base, the Braves turned to Shane Greene, but he wouldn't fare much better. After Isan Díaz came through with a fifth straight Miami single, Starlin Castro doubled down the left-field line. Two runs scored, but Díaz was gunned down at home trying to score the winning run. Following a walk to Brian Anderson, Greene was able to get Garrett Cooper, who he had given up a game-winning grand slam to earlier in the season, to ground out to end the threat. With momentum on the Marlins' side, Jeff Brigham worked a 1-2-3 10th to put Miami in position to walk it off. Against Sean Newcomb, that's exactly what it did. Ramírez started the Miami 10th with a sharp single to left before advancing to third on an errant pick-off attempt. On a 2-1 pitch from Newcomb, Prado lined a fly ball to left field. Adam Duvall made a strong throw home, but it was not in time as the Marlins completed the comeback. Despite 13 total runs, the contest was actually scoreless through seven innings. The Braves drew first blood with three runs in the top of the eighth. Miami responded in the bottom of the inning on a solo homer from Granderson and an RBI single from Anderson. During the 2019 season, the Braves took 15 of the 19 matchups against Miami, which included three walk-off wins. The most thrilling Marlins win from that year came on this day five years ago. View full article