MIAMI — Jesús Sánchez hit a bases-loaded single with no outs in the 12th inning as the Miami Marlins rallied from a five-run deficit and came back twice in extra innings for a 9-8 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night in a matchup of NL wild-card contenders.
The Marlins faced a 5-0 deficit going into the bottom of the sixth inning, but chipped away from there and forced extra innings when Jorge Soler slugged a solo homer with one out in the ninth.
After Philadelphia’s Brandon Marsh hit a two-run homer to lead off the 10th inning, Miami matched it.
Philadelphia also took a lead in the 11th before Miami newcomer Josh Bell singled through the infield with two outs to tie the score once more.
“Fight is exactly how I would describe it,” Miami manager Skip Schumaker said. “Really good job battling back-and-forth and that is not easy in these extra inning games with guys starting on second base and all kind of different scenarios which can happen. To walk it off like that, it was a really good, needed win.”
The Phillies went down in order in the 12th to Tanner Scott (5-4) allowing some hometown heroics for those diehards who stuck around in a game that lasted more than four hours and included 25 hits, 11 walks and 14 pitchers.
“It was definitely a long day, had a 4:40 wakeup call before heading to the airport,” said Bell, who went 4 for 5 with two RBIs in his debut with Miami after being acquired in a deal with Cleveland on Tuesday afternoon.
“I was able to sleep a little bit on the flight, got here, got activated, got some work in the cage … maybe a 40-minute nap and that made the difference. I am definitely pleased with the at-bats, some balls went my way maybe the change in threads, change in scenery would get some balls to fall my way. The atmosphere in the clubhouse after the past two games, we needed this win.”
Alec Bohm led the Phillies with a game-best four hits, including one that drove in a go-ahead run in the top of the 11th.
Philadelphia appeared to be rolling toward a third consecutive win against the Marlins when it scored twice in the fourth inning and added three more runs in the sixth.
“It definitely feels like a game we should have won,” said Bohm, who went 4 for 6 with three RBIs. “There is nothing we can do about it now, just come back and play tomorrow. ... We have to get this bad taste out of our mouth, try and get a win tomorrow.”
The Phillies went down in order in the 12th to Scott— the Marlins’ eighth pitcher of the game.
Down 5-0 and getting little against starter Zack Wheeler, Miami began its comeback in the bottom of the sixth when Bell and Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered to right on back-to-back pitches.
Miami starter Braxton Garrett had allowed just one hit in his first three innings before Bohm led off the fourth with a single and moved to third on a double from Bryce Harper.
Bohm scored on a single by Nick Castellanos and Harper scored on a hit by Bryson Stott.
The Phillies scored three runs in the sixth when reliever Huascar Brazoban issued a walk with the bases loaded and Bohm hit a two-run double into the corner in left.
The Marlins closed their gap in the eighth when reliever Jeff Hoffman walked Sánchez with the bases loaded to make it 5-3.
Gregory Soto came on to pitch the ninth up 5-4 and, after getting the first out gave up a homer to Soler that tied the game at 5.
Luis Arraez went 1 for 6 and his batting average stands at .378.
In the bottom of the 10th with Miami trailing by two runs, Chisholm moved to third on a balk and scored on a groundout from Avisail Garcia.
Jake Burger, also playing in his first game after being acquired in a deal with the White Sox, went 2 for 4 with a walk and singled in the 10th.
He moved moved to third on a double down the left field line by Sánchez before scoring on a deep fly to right by Jon Berti to tie the score at 7.
“I just texted my wife telling her this is the most fun I have had on a baseball field in a very long time," Burger said. "It’s special.”
ROSTER MOVES
The Marlins optioned INF-OF Garrett Hampson to Triple-A Jacksonville.
The Phillies added INF Rodolfo Castro and RHP Michael Lorenzen to the active roster. To make room on the 26-man roster, INF Josh Harrison was released and LHP Andrew Vasquez was designated for assignment.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: C J.T. Realmuto remained out of the lineup for a second consecutive day with a right hand bruise. Manager Rob Thomson said Realmuto could play in the finale on Thursday and was available if needed.
UP NEXT
RHP Michael Lorenzen (5-7, 3.58) makes his debut with the Phillies after being acquired from Detroit on Tuesday in the finale of this four-game series Thursday. RHP Johnny Cueto (0-1, 4.50) goes for the Marlins.