Role call! Rookies' effort earns 4th straight W
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DETROIT -- It was a night of firsts for role players looking to make their mark at the big league level.
Backup catcher Chad Wallach delivered the decisive RBI double in the 11th inning, Harold Ramirez slugged his first MLB home run and Nick Anderson notched his first victory. That group picked up the pieces to help the Marlins eke out a 5-4 victory over the Tigers on Tuesday night at Comerica Park.
Miami extended its season-long win streak to four games, matching the longest by the franchise in both 2018 and 2017.
“This is good for us,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “Obviously, confidence grows when you win. We've started to put some wins together, and you start to feel like you're going to win the game. But the road is tougher to close it down. It was good to get it.”
Wallach’s second RBI double of the night was his first game-winning hit of the season: a no-doubt laser to the gap in left-center off Joe Jimenez that scored Miguel Rojas from first base. Statcast projected it at 420 feet, with an exit velocity of 106.1 mph.
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“I was just trying to battle,” Wallach said. “Tough pitcher. Tough at-bat. I was just trying to put something in play. I was able to put one in the gap. Miggy was stealing, which was nice, and he scored easily.”
Anderson rebounded from a rough outing on Friday against the Mets, when he faced four batters and didn’t record an out. On Tuesday, he struck out five in two innings for his first win.
“I'm a rookie, but I'm still 28 years old, so I've had my fair share of ups and downs,” Anderson said. “Sometimes you battle ups and downs. I just tried to not worry about the last couple of outings and stay focused.”
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The Marlins almost blew the victory, when a series of misplays in the ninth inning enabled the Tigers to score two unearned runs off Sergio Romo. Niko Goodrum led off with an infield single after instant replay overturned a ruling that he was out at first. On Nicholas Castellanos’ fielder’s choice grounder to third base, second baseman Starlin Castro dropped Brian Anderson’s throw from third, for an error. Miguel Cabrera followed with an RBI single and Ronny Rodriguez’s sacrifice fly evened the game at 4, but Romo got Josh Harrison to fly out to Ramirez, stranding the winning run on third.
The Marlins took the lead into the ninth on the strength of solo home runs from Anderson and Ramirez. The rookie’s was an opposite-field shot that Statcast projected at 362 feet with an exit velocity of 105.4 mph. Ramirez’s teammates gave him the silent treatment in the dugout, but that didn’t prevent him from celebrating by himself, pretending to high five with imaginary players.
“I felt like I was floating around the bases,” Ramirez said. “I was very excited. When I hit the ball, I didn't know if it was going, but it felt so good.”
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The Marlins view Ramirez as a promising hitter in need of an opportunity. Last season at Double-A in the Blue Jays’ system, he hit .320, but he entered free agency in the offseason before signing as a non-roster invitee with Miami in December.
Ramirez was playing in just his sixth game in the Majors, which he started in center field because Jon Berti (left oblique strain) was placed on the injured list on Tuesday.
Ramirez was able to get his first home run ball, exchanging an autographed bat to the 13-year-old fan who caught it. He also savored the moment in the dugout, even though his teammates pretended not to notice.
“When I went to the dugout, and I didn't see anybody standing out,” Ramirez said. “I said, 'I'm going to enjoy by myself.'”