20-year Marliniversary: Castillo’s hit streak ends at 35 games as Fish rally past Tigers in ninth

After 35 games, Luis Castillo’s hitting streak ultimately came to an end, but the night for the All-Star second baseman and his teammates had a happy ending.

On this day 20 years ago, the Florida Marlins erased a three-run deficit in the ninth inning to stun the Detroit Tigers. The Marlins pushed across four runs in the frame for a 5-4 walk-off victory.

Hope seemed lost as the Marlins came to bat in the bottom of the ninth on June 22, 2022 at Pro Player Stadium. The Marlins were on the short end of a 4-1 score as Cliff Floyd flied out to begin the inning against Detroit closer Juan Acevedo. The next four batters would reach and score.

Following a Derrek Lee triple, Preston Wilson walked. Both scored on a two-run double by Charles Johnson to cut the lead to 4-3.

Homer Bush came in to pinch run for Florida. A throwing error by first baseman Randall Simon on a chopper from Andy Fox allowed Bush to score the tying run. The errant throw allowed Fox to take second. He then took third on a wild pitch.

With the score now 4-4, Acevedo would finally record the second out, but it came at a price. With the count 2-2 to pinch hitter Tim Raines, his flyball was deep enough to centerfield to score Fox and cap the comeback in walk-off fashion.

Castillo finished 0-for-4, marking the end of his 35-game hitting streak. He was on deck when Fox came across to score the winning run. It was a thrilling comeback nonetheless.

The Marlins rallied from three runs down in the ninth but trailed by four early on. All four Detroit runs came over the first two innings. After Simon singled one home a run in the first, Robert Fick’s two-run double highlighted a three-run second. Fox answered with an RBI double of his own in the bottom of the inning.

Despite Castillo’s hitting streak ending, there was a piece of history that night. The winning sacrifice fly served as the final walk-off RBI of the legendary “Rock” Raines’ 23-year Hall of Fame career. It came at the age of 42 and on this day two decades ago.