De La Cruz’s double caps latest Marlins rally for series-clinching win over White Sox
The Miami Marlins have had close games all season, including all three games this weekend in Chicago. And as it has all year, Miami continues to find ways to win.
Two runs down at the start of the ninth game, the Marlins stormed back to win again, 6-5, over the White Sox in guaranteed rate field. Bryan De La Cruz prevailed, delivering a two-out, go-ahead and two-run double to take Miami to a season high of eight games over .500.
“I think the turning point was that they just don’t give up,” said manager Skip Schumaker. “It just didn’t feel like we’d ever fallen behind, even when we were 5-1 down. It felt like we were still in there.”
The win was the team’s 17th one-run win and 20th straight win of the season. The Marlins scored five goals in Saturday’s ninth game and three in Sunday’s win to win the series.
“I think they always think they’re in,” Schumaker said. “And when you win from behind a couple of times early in the season, you know you can do it. These guys think they’re in every game because of the way the bullpen is set up and that goes for the staff too.”
The Marlins threatened to lose the series after the bullpen faltered after Braxton Garrett’s dominant start. They were 5-1 down in the eighth round. But Miami closed the gap in the eighth with solo home throws from Jorge Soler – his second of the game – and Garrett Cooper.
Then the tide changed completely in the ninth.
Jean Segura hit his first home run of the season and cut the lead to one. Jonathan Davis then reached base through interference from a catcher and Soler went two batters later and set De La Cruz with two outs to be the hero.
“I felt like the adrenaline of the game’s dynamic was pumping through me,” said De La Cruz. “And I told the guys I want to master the shot and be like the hero of the game.”
And he delivered, spinning an inside sinker down the left fieldline, putting in two runs and giving the Marlins the lead. Miami have now come from behind in five of their last seven games and the team is fine with that.
“Resilience,” Soler said. “I work hard and try to get out and compete all the time. We’ve been doing this for a while. As a team we want to work and play until the end of the game and never give up…”
Early on, the Marlins engaged in a pitcher duel, with Garrett dishing out on the mound. He hit 12 of the first 14 batters he faced and allowed just three hits and one walk with nine strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings scoreless.
“He was so good at keeping her off balance,” Schumaker said. “There was no noisy contact at all, [it was] it’s so hard to pull him [in the sixth].”
Garrett was outstanding again and the offense made for another comeback win. The Marlins are now 37-29 this season, their second-best 66-game record in club history.
“It’s one of the nicest things I’ve experienced in my career to be with a team like this [and] the way we play,” said Soler. “I know a lot of people don’t believe in us, but we believe it and we will continue to be strong.”