MIAMI, May 6 (UPI) — Jesus Sanchez snuck a bases-loaded single through the infield to lift the Miami Marlins to a narrow, extra-innings win over Shohei Ohtani and the MLB-best Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday in Miami.
The Marlins, who entered the game losers in eight of their previous nine games, overcame a 403-foot upper-deck blast from Ohtani en route to the 5-4 walk-off victory at loanDepot park.
“It was exhilarating,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “It was a really fun game. … You come back and then they fight back and punch back and we came back. It was some really terrific efforts all around.
“I’m proud of our group for hanging in the fight.”
THAT’S A WALK-OFF W pic.twitter.com/92aaQwh8Fc— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) May 7, 2025
Marlins starter Cal Quantrill and Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin gave the game a pitchers’ duel feel through the first four innings, with just one runner touching home.
Veteran first baseman Freddie Freeman was responsible for that first-inning score. He poked an RBI single between first and second base for an early 1-0 Dodgers lead.
Marlins catcher Liam Hicks smacked a two-run homer off Gonsolin for a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth. The Marlins then opted to remove Quantrill for Anthony Veneziano to face Ohtani in the top of the sixth.
Ohtani proceeded to smack Veneziano’s first offering — an 86.1-mph slider — halfway up the upper-deck seats in right field for a game-tying solo shot.
Freeman hit a 405-foot solo homer to center field two at-bats later for the Dodgers’ second lead of the night.
But the Marlins woke up in the bottom of the inning. Designated hitter Agustin Ramirez doubled off Dodgers relief pitcher Luis Garcia to start the half inning. He came around to score when third baseman Connor Norby doubled two at-bats later.
Center fielder Dane Myers scored Norby with an RBI single later in the inning for another Marlins lead.
But Ohtani revived the Dodgers once again, tying the game with an RBI double in the top of the seventh. The Marlins threatened by loading the bases in the bottom of the eighth, but Myers ended the inning by hitting into a double play.
Neither team scored in the ninth, resulting in extra innings.
The Marlins loaded the bases in the bottom of the 10th, with left fielder Kyle Stowers getting an intentional walk and Ramirez raking a single to right field.
Sanchez then ripped the second pitch he saw from J.P. Feyereisen just out of the reach of the Dodgers’ infielders, allowing shortstop Xavier Edwards to score from third base to end the night.
“I think that’s the team we’ve got,” Sanchez said. “Fighting fish is what we like to say. Never really give up on this ball club. We put together good at-bats all day.”
Ohtani, who struck out in his first two at-bats against Quantrill, went 2 for 5 with two RBIs and a run scored. With his mammoth home run, he also became the first MLB player to record 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases this season.
Freeman went 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Dodgers catcher Will Smith also recorded two hits in the loss.
Sanchez went 2 for 5 for the Marlins. Myers and Ramirez also recorded two hits apiece in the victory. Quantrill allowed four hits and one run and issued six strikeouts over five innings, but was not on record for a decision.
Marlins relief pitchers Calvin Faucher, Anthony Bender and Jesus Tinoco combined to allow one hit and no runs over the final 3 2/3 innings.
Gonsolin surrendered four hits and two runs over five innings. He did not earn a decision.
The Marlins (14-21) will host the Dodgers (24-12) in the series finale at 4:40 p.m. EDT Wednesday at loanDepot park.
