15-year Marliniversary: Cabrera takes final three bases on wild pitches to walk-off Houston

Throughout his illustrious career, Miguel Cabrera has no shortage of clutch moments. On this day 15 years ago, however, he may have scored his most bizarre game-winning run.

Cabrera was at second base when a wild pitch went into the dugout, allowing him to take two bases and the Florida Marlins to collect a walk-off win. That came in the 12th inning for a 6-5 victory over the Houston Astros.

Cabrera had tied the game at Dolphin Stadium on Aug. 4, 2007 with a solo home run in the seventh. Neither the Marlins nor the Astros had scored again as the contest shifted to the bottom of the 12th, tied 5-5.

Houston reliever Steve Randolph worked a scoreless frame in the 11th and got off to a strong start in the 12th by getting Hanley Ramirez to fly out and Dan Uggla to line out. Despite retiring two dangerous hitters, Randolph wanted no part of facing Cabrera and issued an intentional walk.

At the plate for the Marlins was Mike Jacobs. He never had to swing the bat.

Randolph’s first pitch to Jacobs was a wild pitch and allowed Cabrera to take second. Three pitches later, Randolph allowed Cabrera to take home.

On a 2-1 pitch, the ball got away from Houston catcher Eric Munson. As Munson went to retrieve the ball, it trickled into the dugout. Umpires ruled that Munson touched the ball, which allowed it to roll into the dugout and Cabrera was given home.

Despite protest from the Astros, the Marlins left with a bizarre walk-off victory.

Cabrera provided the offense late for the Marlins, but it was Ramirez who came through early. After leading off the bottom of the first inning with a home run, Ramirez rolled a two-run single in the second to give Florida a 3-1 lead. After Luke Scott’s fourth-inning RBI double cut the lead in half, Uggla pushed it back to two with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the fifth.

Houston took its first lead a half-inning later on a three-run home run from Jason Lane. Cabrera’s solo blast in the seventh ultimately chased Astros starter Jason Jennings.

Lee Gardner worked a perfect 12th to pick up the win for the Marlins. Ramirez, Cabrera and Josh Willingham each had two hits in the victory.

The victory evened the three-game series and gave Florida its first walk-off win in more than a month. It came in bizarre fashion on this day 15 years ago.