In the Marlins’ first matchup of the 2021 season against the Braves, they were coming in looking for redemption after Atlanta ended their season in the National League Division Series last October. Against a red-hot Braves offense, the Marlins would struggle early but come alive late for a dramatic 5-3 comeback win in 10 innings at Truist Park.
In the top of the 10th inning with Jon Berti on third and Starling Marte at first, Garrett Cooper hit a line-drive single to center field to bring in Marte. The dagger would come from Brian Anderson, who hit a clutch double down the third-base line to give Miami a two-run cushion. Yimi García pitched the final 1 1/3 innings to earn the win.
“My rhythm hasn’t been there,” Cooper said. “I felt like I’ve had six or seven off-days the first two weeks. I’ve been pressing, trying to get that big hit. It came through tonight. Felt like I was back on.”
The game was not without a little controversy. For the second time in less than a week, the Marlins were on the wrong end of a disputed call. But this time, they overcame it.
In the top of the eighth with the Marlins trailing, 3-1, Berti led off with a walk and appeared to steal second base a moment later. However, the Braves challenged the call, and Berti was ruled out upon review.
The play came one night after the Braves lost after a disputed tag play at the plate against the Phillies, and just a few days after the Marlins lost a controversial game at Citi Field when Mets outfielder Michael Conforto stuck his elbow out over home plate to earn a walk-off hit by pitch that umpire Ron Kulpa later admitted should have been strike three instead.
Marlins manager Don Mattingly was livid about the reversed call on Berti’s steal and earned his first ejection of the season from home-plate umpire Alfonso Marquez. Miami bounced back quickly, with Corey Dickerson and Marte drawing consecutive walks. They were then driven home on Cooper’s double to tie the game.
“It was a big win, that’s for sure,” Mattingly said. “Hopefully this starts to build momentum for us.”
The Marlins kept the game tight thanks to 6 1/3 innings from starter Sandy Alcantara. They also got a boost from former Braves outfielder Adam Duvall.
“I have no doubt in my mind that I’m going to get going,” Duvall said before Monday’s game. “I would love for it to come right now, and I’m going to do everything I can to do that.”
Duvall came into the game struggling, with a batting average of .136 and just three hits on the season. In his first at-bat of the game, Duvall hit a 97.6 mph fastball from Huascar Ynoa over the right-field wall to tie the score at 1-1.
Duvall played for the Braves from 2018-20 and was a consistent power bat, especially during the ‘20 season, when he hit 16 home runs and 33 RBIs in his 57 games played. With Duvall signing with the Marlins on a one-year, $5 million deal, Miami’s front office wanted to not only add some veteran savvy but also to add some power to its lineup.
“I’m looking forward to us getting into a groove. Up and down the lineup, hitting is contagious,” said Duvall. “You can find yourself piggy-backing off of other guys and getting everybody going.”