The 2013 National League Rookie of the Year and a two-time All-Star, José Fernández is one of the most talented pitchers in Miami Marlins history.
On this day 10 years ago, however, he reminded some that he could swing the bat as well. Called upon to pinch hit in the 12th inning, Fernández delivered the game-winning two-run double to lift the Miami Marlins past the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field, 7-5.
For 8 ½ innings, things looked pretty good for Miami on July 1, 2016. The Marlins took a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the ninth and with eventual All-Star AJ Ramos in to close it, Miami felt pretty good. On Ramos’ second pitch of the night, however, Atlanta catcher Tyler Flowers went deep to tie the game.
The Braves would put a runner on third with one out later in the inning, but Ramos was able to strike out Jace Peterson before getting Chase d’Arnaud to line out to end the threat. In the 10th inning, both teams left the go-ahead run in scoring position. In the 11th inning, both teams stranded a runner at first.
Nick Wittgren had given Miami two scoreless innings of relief to get the contest to the 12th. In the top of the inning, Miguel Rojas lined a one-out single to start the rally. J.T. Realmuto followed by drawing a walk, but Adeiny Hechavarría flied out, leaving Marlins manager Don Mattingly with a decision to make.
At the time, the designated hitter was not universal and with the pitcher’s spot up and no position players to pinch hit, Mattingly called on Fernández. On a 1-1 pitch, Fernández lined the offering from Atlanta’s Casey Kelly into the left-centerfield gap for the go-ahead two-run double, giving the Marlins a 7-5 lead. Dustin McGowan worked a 1-2-3 bottom half of the inning to record the save.
Things started well for Miami as a lead-off home run from Derek Dietrich and a two-run shot from Marcell Ozuna in the first gave the Marlins a 3-0 lead. After answering with two runs in the second, the Braves took their first lead in the fifth on d’Arnaud’s two-run blast.
The last Miami runs of regulation came in the seventh as it regained the lead. Christian Yelich tied the game with an RBI double before coming around to score to give the Marlins a 5-4 lead on an Ozuna RBI single.
Ozuna finished 4-for-6 with three RBIs in the win. Martin Prado added three hits for Miami. d’Arnaud, Flowers and Erick Aybar each had two hits for Atlanta.
The biggest hit of the night, however, belonged to an All-Star starting pitcher who didn’t start that evening. For his career, Fernández was a .213 hitter with two home runs and 14 RBIs. In his lone extra-innings at-bat, Fernández delivered with a go-ahead hit. He did so on this day a decade ago.