Miami Marlins Win in Extras, Snap Losing Streak | August 12th, 2020

Miami, Florida – Small ball beat the longball. The Miami Marlins win in extras after blowing an eight-run lead in a four-hour slugfest that saw eight home runs. Seven by the Toronto Blue Jays. In fact, it was the only way the Jays scored. The mindblowing 14-11 shootout victory snaps their three-game losing streak and concludes an over three-week-long road trip. 

Scoring and struggles galore

Despite the explosive run production by the Marlins, their pitching struggled all night. Jordan Yamamoto did not look like himself, serving up a couple of home runs in back-to-back innings. He allowed four runs in the process.  By the fourth, the bullpen stepped in sending out Nick Vincent. The right-hander also suffered a similar fate, a two-run bomb by Travis Shaw in the fifth. 

The Blue Jays scored in six consecutive innings. Miami, meanwhile, put together three great frames but it was countered by a constant stream of power hitting.

The Fish surged ahead with a three-run blast from Brian Anderson in the first. BA got a hold of Nate Pearson’s 97 mph fastball and lifted it into the stands. They also built a big third inning, scoring five runs to take a commanding 8-0 lead. Eddy Alvarez drew a bases-loaded walk to get it going. Magneuris Sierra showed off his wheels when he hit a hard grounder to Vladimir Guerrero Jr, sliding into first to beat out the tag. Guerrero kept the ball down but was unable to reach the bag in time. The Fish also took advantage of Toronto’s defensive mistakes. 

"Yeah, just keep going straight. You'll find the highway."@AndersonBrian01 // #JuntosMiami pic.twitter.com/eCeOp2iSjX

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) August 12, 2020

Jonathan Villar faked a bunt, quickly drawing back as Blue Jays catcher Danny Jansen was charged with a passed ball, Francisco Cervelli scored. Jansen made another mistake when he threw to second base in a vague attempt to pick off Sierra. Trouble is Cavan Biggio wasn’t anywhere near the bag and an alert Alvarez stole home during the play. Jesús Aguilar hit a hard liner resulting in an RBI single to cap off the inning. 

The Marlins kept putting on runs with three more in the fifth but the Blue Jays never went away, chipping at the lead. Toronto kept it close until they tied it 11-11 in the eighth behind Shaw’s second homer of the night off Brad Boxberger. Same as before, the game went into extras.

Jon Berti laid down a wonderful bunt, finding a gap in the defense where no one was able to field the ball, resulting in runners at the corners. Shortly thereafter Sierra hit a soft fly with the end of his bat, driving in two. Wanting to add some insurance against a slumping team that’s now swinging a hot bat, Aguilar slapped another liner for a run. They hung on to win.

just so you know, we scored again no one yell at us we are a fragile Twitter account pic.twitter.com/M6bYt6dB7B

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) August 13, 2020

In case you missed it

The Blue Jays won the first MLB game played in Buffalo since 1915. The Fish rallied late yesterday but came up short, losing 5-4 in the tenth. They lived and died by the longball. 

Elieser Hernandez cruised through five innings with as many strikeouts but ran into trouble in the sixth. After giving up back-to-back doubles that somehow didn’t relinquish a run, Bo Bichette took him deep with a three-run dinger. Bichette performed well both at the plate and on the field, making great defensive plays as part of a broad effort by Toronto to shut down the Marlins.

In the ninth, the Fish were down to their final out with the tying run at the plate. Cervelli went into clutch mode on a 3-0 count, going yard to tie the game at four.

HOPEL̶E̶S̶S̶.#JuntosMiami pic.twitter.com/LCmzsXV8l1

— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) August 12, 2020

Heading into the tenth, Miami almost took the lead when Logan Forsythe seemingly teed off a two-run homer, only to be ruled a foul ball. It missed the left-field pole by mere inches. The rally was not enough. Shaw hit the walk-off single, clinching it for the Blue Jays.

Impressions

It was likely going to happen at some point so tonight was the night. I lay Wednesday’s struggles squarely on the pitching. Giving up seven homers is in no way, shape, or form acceptable at any level. The hitting did its job, providing plenty of run support for Yamamoto and a bullpen that squandered what is otherwise a very comfortable lead. The Blue Jays made mistakes on defense but their tenacious hitting allowed them to claw back slowly but surely, eventually tieing it.

The Marlins overcame the adversity and kept on fighting despite a near demoralizing collapse. That’s worth celebrating. It wasn’t pretty but as they say, a win’s a win.  After 23 days on the road and a four-hour slugfest, the Miami Marlins are finally coming home. 

📸Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports