Esteury Ruiz delivered the swing that decided it, and Miami’s bullpen did the rest.
With the game tied in the top of the 11th and the bases loaded, Ruiz turned on a Taylor Clarke sinker and sent it 407 feet to left-center for a double that brought home all three runners. That was the difference in the Marlins’ 4-2 win over the Diamondbacks in the middle game of the series, a victory that pulled Miami back to 75-77 with 10 games left.
The result gave the Marlins a split after Arizona opened the set Monday with a three-run comeback capped by a Corbin Carroll walk-off homer. This time, the late break went Miami’s way.
Ruiz’s big hit was only his third of the month. His bat has cooled after a much stronger first part of the season, and since August 1 he has hit .178/.294/.260 with four extra-base hits.
Even so, his value hasn’t disappeared. He has 30 stolen bases, and his season OPS of .731 is still well ahead of the next-best mark on the club at .654.
Miami had to survive plenty before Ruiz came through. Victor Vodnik and Josh Ekness each worked through tense spots in extras, with Ekness handling the 10th after a wild Otto Lopez throw to first pulled Deyvison De Los Santos off the bag. De Los Santos then came up with a huge play against his former team by tagging out Ildemaro Vargas, preventing the game from ending there.
The bullpen effort was a long one and a clean one for the most part. After Janson Junk’s three-inning outing, five relievers followed and nearly everything stayed under control. Over eight innings, the seven Marlins pitchers allowed four hits and no earned runs, with the only blemish coming when ghost runner Ildemaro Vargas scored on a Ketel Marte double in the bottom of the 11th.
It was the kind of night that can define a staff’s season, and for Miami, it belongs near the top of the list.
Wednesday’s rubber match has Ryan Gusto starting for the Marlins against Merrill Kelly. First pitch at Chase Field is set for 9:40 pm EST.
In Other News...
Javier Sanoja Is Giving The Marlins A Question They Need Answered
Javier Sanoja has turned into one of the more interesting developments in a Marlins season that has needed them. The 24-year-old utility player has piled up career highs across the board, including nine home runs, 63 RBIs and an OPS above .780, while also showing the kind of steady contact that can change how a roster is built around him. Since Aug. 1, no one in Major League Baseball has hit for a better average, and over the last month only one player has been better.
For Miami, the challenge is no longer just appreciating the production. Manager Clayton McCullough has already pointed to Sanojas versatility and the consistency he has brought to the lineup, and that combination creates a familiar late-season question for a club sorting out its future: what do you do when a utility player starts looking much less like a temporary fix and much more like someone who needs an everyday spot? [Read more 🡒]