MIAMI — The Miami Marlins proved their resilience once again on Sunday, staging a dramatic comeback in the ninth inning to defeat the New York Yankees 8-7. Jake Burger played the hero with a walk-off hit, capping off a five-run rally that saw the Marlins erase a six-run deficit.
The Marlins’ victory was their eighth walk-off win of the season and showcased their reputation as a “Big Heart Team.” Despite a recent slump that saw them fall out of a playoff position, the Marlins have now gone 4-2 in their last six games, with two impressive comebacks. They also lead the Majors with eight wins when trailing after eight innings.
Manager Skip Schumaker praised his team’s resilience, stating that these comebacks have been a consistent feature of their play throughout the season. He also highlighted the importance of winning the series against the Yankees in front of a sellout crowd of 35,043 fans.
Sunday’s victory was particularly significant as it moved the Marlins ahead of the Chicago Cubs for the third National League Wild Card spot. It also marked a rematch of the 2003 World Series between the Marlins and the Yankees.
The comeback began in the bottom of the ninth inning when Yuli Gurriel led off with a double against Yankees pitcher Clay Holmes. Jon Berti and Nick Fortes followed with a strikeout and an infield single, respectively. Jazz Chisholm Jr. then drew a walk to load the bases.
Josh Bell hit a comebacker to Holmes, but a fielding error allowed two runs to score, reminiscent of a previous walk-off win against the St. Louis Cardinals. With runners on the corners, Luis Arraez delivered the game-tying two-run triple to the right-field corner, his third hit of the game.
Tommy Kahnle took over for Holmes and walked Bryan De La Cruz to put runners on first and second. De La Cruz then advanced to second on defensive indifference. Burger stepped up to the plate and lined a changeup to left field, securing the walk-off victory for the Marlins.
Despite the Marlins’ impressive comeback, the Yankees’ bullpen entered the game with the lowest ERA in the Majors. Eury Pérez, starting for the Marlins, struggled for the second consecutive game since his return to the Majors, allowing four runs over four innings with five strikeouts.
The Marlins’ victory capped off a thrilling day of baseball, as the Washington Nationals also staged a comeback from a four-run deficit to defeat the Oakland Athletics. This marked the first time since July 9, 2010, that two teams won after trailing by four or more runs in the ninth inning on the same day.
The Marlins will look to carry their momentum into their upcoming series against the Houston Astros, while the Yankees will aim to bounce back against the Kansas City Royals.