Luis Arraez singled home the winning run in the 10th inning
Luis Arraez singled home the winning run with the bases loaded in the 10th inning and the Miami Marlins ended an eight-game losing streak with a 3-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
With the Rockies playing five infielders, Arraez hit a line drive to an empty right field off Pierce Johnson (1-5), scoring Joey Wendle from third.
"I saw the five infielders and that there was no right fielder," Arraez said, "so I’m just thinking ‘if he throws one there inside, I’m going to pull it.’ The good thing is we win the game. It’s been a long time since we won."
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Miami Marlins Luis Arraez (3) flips his bat after hitting the go ahead run to win the game in the tenth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Sunday, July 23, 2023, in Miami. The Marlins defeated the Rockies 3-2. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Arraez connected on a 1-1 curveball for his first career walk-off hit.
"He looked to the one place they weren’t and was just like ‘I’m gonna hit it there.’ That’s just who he is," Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. "It’s an incredible bat-to-ball skill, nothing like I’ve seen in my playing days or coaching days."
Arraez went 3-for-4, raising his league-leading batting average to .379.
"He’s the leading hitter in the National League, he gets base hits," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "You know, it was a scenario that obviously we didn’t want to get to. He dug it out for a line drive."
Huascar Brazoban (4-2) was the winning pitcher for Miami, which earned its first victory since the All-Star break.
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Miami Marlins Luis Arraez scores on a sacrifice fly by Yuli Gurriel in the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies, Sunday, July 23, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Marlins starter Jesus Luzardo pitched seven strong innings, allowing one run and striking out a career-high 13.
Luzardo’s previous high of 12 strikeouts was done twice last year (April 12, 2022, at the Angels and Oct. 3, 2022, vs Atlanta). It also tied the club record for the most strikeouts by a left-handed starter, tying Braxton Garrett, who struck out 13 on June 22, 2023, against Pittsburgh.
His final strikeout was against Brenton Doyle, who homered off him in the fifth, and stranded two runners in the seventh.
"We needed an outing like that," Marlins catcher Nick Fortes said. "When things are going bad, you kind of need a dominant pitcher to put their foot in the ground and take the lead. He definitely did that for us today."
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Miami Marlins shortstop Jon Berti (5) throws to first base on a hit by Colorado Rockiess Randal Grichuk during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 23, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Luzardo finished with double-digit strikeouts for the sixth time in his career and second time this season.
"That guy’s got a really good fastball but the secondary pitches came into play today, the change-up, the slider." Black said. "We couldn’t get the bat to the ball enough times."
Colorado’s Randal Grichuk homered on a 3-2 pitch with one out in the ninth off closer A.J. Puk to tie the score at 2-2.
Trailing 1-0, the Marlins broke through in the sixth when Arraez doubled to score Fortes from second to tie the score at 1. Fortes had singled to open the inning and took second on a wild pitch by Connor Seabold.
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Colorado Rockies Randal Grichuk (15) celebrates with the team after hitting a home run to tie the game in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, July 23, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
After Jorge Soler singled and Arraez advanced to third, Seabold was replaced by Brent Suter. Arraez scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Yuli Gurriel to give the Marlins a 2-1 lead.
Doyle gave the Rockies a 1-0 lead on his two-out solo homer to right field in the fifth off Luzardo.
Ty Blach, making his first start for the Rockies this season, allowed two hits and struck out two over three scoreless innings. Blach was replaced by Seabold to start the fourth inning.
"It was good to be able to get out there and just be able to go out execute pitches," Blach said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: Kris Bryant is day to day after being hit on the hand with a pitch in Saturday’s game. ... CJ Cron is day to day with a back injury.
Colorado Rockies left fielder Jurickson Profar catches a hit by Miami Marlins Luis Arraez during the third inning of a baseball game, Sunday, July 23, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
UP NEXT
RHP Edward Cabrera (5-5, 4.50) will start for the Marlins in Tuesday’s game at Tampa Bay.
The Rockies haven’t announced a starter for Monday’s game at Washington.
