Marlins Walk Off in Extra Innings to Beat Mets 5-4

If Monday night’s deconstruction of the Mets was the Marlins’ genre-bending, breakout album, then tonight was the band’s sophomore slump. It didn’t feature the overwhelming offensive performances or solid work from the mound like last night, but either way, You Play to Win the Game™. Both the bass player (definitely Marcell Ozuna) and keyboardist (definitely Dee Gordon) didn’t start tonight, but both joined in eventually.

With Odrisamer Despaigne pitching in the first, we only had to wait for the inevitable. Despaigne has submitted a 4.35 ERA and 1.50 WHIP over 39.1 innings this season. Additionally, he has more walks (22) than strikeouts (20) and zero wins since 2015 when he was with the San Diego Padres. With Despaigne facing his second batter of the night, Jose Reyes took an over-the-plate floater deep to bring the score to 1-0 in the first.

Despite being fully prepared to embrace another Marlins September Experience, Despaigne pitched a very respectable game. Tonight was just his second game back since the birth of his child, so congratulations to the OdrisaMr. and the OdrisaMrs. He would eventually go six innings pitched with six hits and 2 strike outs.

Brian Ellington and Junichi Tazawa would survive the seventh and eight, respectfully. Ellington worked quickly, but Tazawa would get caught in a bit of a jam with bases loaded. Asdrubel Cabrera, Brandon Nimmo, and Travis d’Arnaud were scattered across the base path, and seemed like they were going to blow the game open. However, Juan Ligares swung through on a high and inside pitch to line out to second.

Javy Guerra took over in the 9th with the game at 3-1. Jose Reyes (seemingly content with being a bit of a bookend tonight) singled to right to drive in Phillip Evans and take the lead to 4-1. Based off the previous eight innings of baseball, I wasn’t expecting much of a furious, spirited comeback. Other than in the fourth when Christian Yelich gave us his first ever opposite-field home run in 1,157 ABs in Marlins Park, the Mets were completely stifling the Marlins’ O. I was waiting for the Fat Lady to sing and to read all she wrote.

AND THEN JUSTIN BOUR OPENED UP THE NINTH WITH A HOMER AND I FEEL LIKE WE’RE BACK, BABY!

AJ ELLIS SINGLED OFF OF FORMER MARLINS A.J. RAMOS AND DROVE IN J.T. REALMUTO. ALL ABOARD FOR ABBREVIATION STATION. (Taking a quick pause from the comeback, Ramos is a great guy for still being involved in the Miami community. Also, this locker room prank never gets old)

BACK TO THE COMEBACK. ICHIRO THA GAWD SINGLES OFF OF RAMOS TO DRIVE IN ELLIS AND WE ARE TIED.

Kyle Barraclough came in for the 10th inning, and gave up a single to Dominic Smith, but he had no issues working through d’Arnaud, Nimmo, and Laggers to bring the Marlins back up in the 10th. With Realmuto up to bat and Paul Sewald on the mound, Sewald went to the high corner of the zone on a 1-1 count. Watch Realmoney put it away to bring the Marlins to 71-80 on the season.

The Marlins will be back at it again tomorrow looking for the sweep, Rafael Montero vs José Ureña.

FanGraphs.com