Yankees rally late, capitalizing on Marlins' walks and wild pitches to snatch a 9-7 victory. Giancarlo Stanton's clutch hit seals the deal.
The New York Yankees defeated the Miami Marlins 9-7 on Saturday at Yankee Stadium after a three-run rally in the eighth inning. The Yankees drew three walks set up a two-run single by Giancarlo Stanton, which turned out to be the difference-maker.
The Marlins walked 10 batters and allowed two runs two score off wild pitches in the seventh and eighth inning.
The Marlins struck first early in the first inning. Agustin Ramirez drew a walk and advanced to third base on a two-out single by Otto Lopez. They both scored on a triple by Heriberto Hernandez to put the Marlins up 2-0.
Xavier Edwards led off the second inning on a single and advanced to second base on Leo Jimenez’s first hit as a Marlin. Ramirez drove Edwards home on a line drive single to add to Miami’s lead, 3-0.
The Marlins’ lead extended to 4-0 in the fourth after they took advantage of the Yankees’ defensive miscues. After Ramirez reached on his second hit of the game, and was later able to score after Cody Bellinger threw the ball past two Yankee fielders trying to make the tag at third base. Jakob Marsee, who hit a single during that play, ended up advancing to third base but was stranded after a strikeout to end the inning.
Marlins starter Max Meyer was one pitch away from five scoreless innings with six strikeouts. However, after giving up a single to Aaron Judge, Bellinger took a 91-mph slider deep to right field for a two-run home run in the fifth inning. With one swing, Bellinger cut the Marlins’ lead to 4-2 and took Meyer out of the game.
Andrew Nardi finished the fifth with a strikeout, but started the sixth inning with a walk. Anthony Bender took over for Nardi but back-to-back RBI singles by Trent Grisham and Judge tied the game 4-4. With John King on the mound, the Yankees took a 5-4 lead on a sacrifice fly by Bellinger.
Facing a 6-4 deficit in the top of the eighth inning, the Marlins rallied to tie the game. Liam Hicks entered the game as a pinch hitter and led off with a single. Edwards followed that up with a double to put both runners in scoring position. Javier Sanoja came through with a line drive down the foul line in deep left field for a two-run double.
Former Marlin Ryan Weathers, whom Miami traded to New York for four prospects over the offseason, lasted 3.2 innings, allowing three runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts.
David Bednar, who the Marlins haunted all of last season both as the closer for the Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates, finally got his revenge by striking out Owen Caissie and then Griffin Conine with the bases loaded for his fourth save of the season.
The Marlins made it a stressful save opportunity after Lopez singled and scored on a base hit by Edwards, who led Miami with a 3-for-4 night to improve his batting average to .467 on the season. Sanoja, Ramirez, and Lopez each had two hits for the Marlins (5-3), who dropped their second game in a row for the first time this season.
The Marlins will send out Chris Paddack to go against the Yankees and their ace, Max Fried, on Easter Sunday.
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