Throughout their 33-year history, only four members of the Florida/Miami Marlins have hit three home runs in a single game. Brian Anderson accomplished the feat on this day five years ago.
It was a record-tying night for Anderson as the Miami Marlins looked to bounce back against the Washington Nationals in the second game of the doubleheader at Marlins Park on Sept. 18, 2020. Miami managed just two hits in a 5-0 loss in the first seven-inning game. Anderson made sure things went much better in the second seven-inning contest as the Marlins routed Washington, 14-3.
Things didn’t start particularly well for the Fish as Washington plated two runs in the top of the first. Corey Dickerson was able to cut the early deficit in half with a lead-off home run. In the bottom of the second, Anderson tied things up with a solo shot off Washington’s Wil Crowe.
Miami never trailed again.
The Marlins seized control of the contest with a four-run third inning. After Jesús Aguilar walked with the bases loaded to give Miami its first lead, a fielder’s choice on a ball back to the pitcher off the bat of Miguel Rojas extended the lead to 4-2. Lewis Brinson followed with a two-run single.
Down 6-2, the Nationals got a run back in the fifth on an RBI single from Juan Soto. Any momentum that Washington may have had, however, was quickly quelled.
After walks to Garrett Cooper and Aguilar opened the bottom of the fifth for Miami, Anderson doubled the advantage by depositing James Bourque’s 3-2 pitch over the left-field wall for a three-run home run to make it 9-3. Dickerson added an RBI single later in the inning.
Up 10-3, the contest was already well in hand as things shifted to the bottom of the sixth, but Anderson made sure to provide the exclamation point. Cooper and Aguilar again set the table after being hit by a pitch and walking, respectively. On a 1-2 pitch from Brock Holt, Anderson belted his second three-run blast in as many innings and third homer of the night. Chad Wallach added an RBI double later in the frame.
With Miami chasing a playoff spot during the COVID-shortened 60-game season, the win kept the Marlins over .500 at 26-24. In addition to Anderson’s big night, Brinson and Rojas each went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
Kyle Stowers has since joined Anderson, Mike Lowell and Cody Ross in the Marlins’ three-homer club. Anderson, however, is the only member of the team to homer three times at what’s now loanDepot Park and is the only one to do it in a game that went fewer than nine innings.
The Marlins would go on to reach the postseason for the first time in 17 years in 2020. In addition to tying the single-game home run record, Anderson also tied the club’s single-game RBI record with seven in the rout of Washington. He did so on this day five years ago.