The Miami Marlins defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 4–3 Saturday, September 12, at LoanDepot park, ending the Dodgers’ eight-game winning streak and giving Miami a much-needed victory. The Marlins overcame an early two-run deficit and held on late to secure the win in front of 34,814 fans. The Dodgers struck first in the opening inning when Mookie Betts and Max Muncy hit back-to-back solo home runs. The two home runs quickly put Miami behind 2–0 and gave Los Angeles early momentum.
When Junior Alejandro Feria was asked about his opinion on the Marlins comeback he said , “It was for sure an unexpected comeback, but it was super fun to watch!”
The Marlins answered in the second inning. Graham Pauley launched a two-run home run, tying the game at 2–2. The home run was projected at 429 feet, making it the longest of Pauley’s career. Miami then took the lead when Otto Lopez delivered an RBI single, putting the Marlins ahead 3–2.
When Junior Cedric was asked about Graham Pauley’s home run, he said,
Miami added another run in the fifth inning. Javier Sanoja reached on a fielder’s choice, allowing Griffin Conine to score and extending the Marlins’ lead to 4–2. The Marlins’ offense had taken advantage of opportunities while their pitchers worked to keep the Dodgers from regaining control of the game. The Dodgers threatened in the ninth inning when Hunter Feduccia hit an RBI single, cutting Miami’s lead to 4–3. However, Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks stopped the comeback by getting Will Smith to line out to end the game. Fairbanks earned his 19th save of the season.
Junior Gabriel Gonzalez said, “When the Dodgers scored that third run, I thought they might put up a fight, but thankfully they did not.”
The victory was significant because Los Angeles entered the game with a 90–58 record and was trying to clinch a playoff spot. Instead, Miami handed the Dodgers their first loss in nine games. The Marlins, who had lost their previous four games, used timely hitting and strong late-game pitching to pull off the upset. The win showed how quickly a baseball game can change. Although the Dodgers jumped ahead with two home runs, the Marlins responded with four unanswered runs and held on when Los Angeles made one final attempt in the ninth inning.
