Walk-off sinks Marlins after overnight wait

July 18th, 2021

PHILADELPHIA -- The Marlins staged an impressive ninth-inning comeback on Saturday night against the Phillies, but it ultimately fell short after waiting more than 15 hours to complete the game.

After Saturday's game was suspended in the 10th inning due to a late-night downpour, Miami ultimately finished that contest with a 4-2 loss in 10 innings prior to playing Sunday's regularly scheduled game at Citizens Bank Park.

The Marlins set up the extra-inning finish with an improbable ninth-inning rally before the skies opened up on Saturday night. They had managed only three hits through eight frames and trailed, 2-0, entering the ninth. The Phillies, meanwhile, were turning to newly appointed closer Ranger Suárez, who entered with a 0.75 ERA and had not allowed multiple runs in any of his first 22 outings -- many of which spanned more than one inning.

That all changed when Starling Marte ripped a leadoff single and Jesús Aguilar followed with a towering game-tying two-run homer. Monte Harrison added to the excitement in the bottom half when he made a potentially game-saving sprawling grab along the right-field line to end the ninth.

It all went for naught, however, as the Marlins went down in order upon the game’s resumption in the 10th inning. Sandy León started the frame on second base as the automatic runner, but he never advanced any further as Jon Berti struck out looking, Isan Díaz lined out to right field and Jazz Chisholm Jr. flied out to left.

The Phillies wasted no time ending it in the bottom half, with J.T. Realmuto crushing a walk-off two-run homer off reliever Yimi García.