With two prior matchups in the postseason, the Chicago Cubs and Florida/Miami Marlins have more than their fair share of memorable head-to-head moments. Although probably not as widely remembered as the playoff contests, the meeting between the teams that took place on this day 25 years ago had a little bit of everything.

On the diamond, however, the night would belong to the Florida Marlins. Back-to-back home runs from Preston Wilson and Derrek Lee highlighted a five-run eighth as 37-year-old rookie Joe Strong picked up his only big-league win as the Marlins rallied for a 7-4 victory.

Solo home runs from Wilson and Lee had accounted for all the offense as the June 24, 2000 contest at Pro Player Stadium shifted to the bottom of the eighth. With Florida trailing 4-2, a one-out double by Dave Berg off Tim Worrell brought the tying run to the plate. Worrell was able to retire Luis Castillo for the second out of the inning. Cubs manager Don Baylor then went to his bullpen and lefty Félix Heredia, a former World Series champion with the Marlins.

That turned out to be a mistake.

On a 2-2 pitch, Mark Kotsay lined an RBI single to center field to cut the deficit to 4-3. Cliff Floyd followed by drawing a walk. Chicago turned to closer Rick Aguilera, but the three-time All-Star was unable to get the big out.

Wilson had homered off starter Kevin Tapani to lead off the fifth inning and tie the game 1-1. After getting ahead 2-0 against Aguilera, the Florida centerfielder put his team in front for the first time and to stay with a laser shot to right field for a three-run home run to give the Marlins a 6-4 lead. Lee, who homered the inning prior, took Aguilera deep to left field on the very next pitch to provide some insurance.

The 37-year-old Strong, who debuted a month and a half prior, recorded just one out and threw just four pitches but picked up the win when Antonio Alfonseca retired the Cubs in order in the top of the ninth. Sammy Sosa, who was given a star on Calle Ocho in the heart of Little Havana earlier in the day, struck out swinging on just three pitches to end the game.

Sosa, however, did finish 1-for-4 with a sacrifice fly. Eric Young and José Nieves each had three hits for Chicago. Nieves finished with an RBI and two runs scored while finishing a home run short of the cycle. Young scored once and drove in a pair of runs.

In addition to big nights from Wilson and Lee, Kotsay had three of the nine hits for the Marlins. Tapani and Marlins starter Chuck Smith each registered quality starts on the mound. 

On a day where Sosa was honored in South Florida and a 37-year-old rookie earned the win, the unusually large crowd of more than 35,000 got to witness Lee and Wilson become the first set of Marlins teammates to homer twice in the same game. It happened on this day a quarter-century ago.Â