PHILADELPHIA -- Moments after Javier Sanoja's career day in Philadelphia, the Marlins utility man greeted two Phillies fans outside the visitors¡¯ clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park.
Joshua Kirsch, donning a pinstriped Trea Turner jersey, was ready for a potential home-run ball to come his direction as he watched Sunday afternoon¡¯s game from the stands in left field with his father, Matt. Joshua got his chance when Sanoja stepped to the plate in the top of the eighth inning and delivered a Statcast-projected 367-foot blast to the stairway in between Sections 141 and 142.
¡°I just walked down the stairs, put my glove up and prayed,¡± Joshua said. ¡°It just landed in there.¡±
Kirsch made an impressive catch on a ball that proved to be a crucial home run in an eventual 10-inning 7-5 win for Miami, as well as marking the first homer of Sanoja¡¯s Major League career. The 22-year-old later met with the father and son, trading Joshua one of his bats for the milestone ball.
¡°It was a pretty special moment for both of us,¡± Sanoja said through a team interpreter. ¡°It was a good memory. It was my first home run. Just getting the baseball was special. That memory of exchanging something, I wanted to give him something back. So I gave him the bat.¡±
Sanoja went 3-for-4 with the homer, a sacrifice fly and five RBIs. The hits and RBIs were career highs, and each came in big moments as Miami earned the late victory. He singled and came around to score in the seventh, hit the go-ahead homer in the eighth and then singled home an insurance run in the 10th. He made an impact throughout the day to help the Marlins snap a five-game losing streak and avoid being swept in Philadelphia.
¡°I think it will be a beautiful memory for me, being able to do that,¡± Sanoja said. ¡°Most important is that we got the victory. That's the most important part. We were coming from a few losses, so getting that victory means a lot for all of us.¡±
Marlins starter Connor Gillispie allowed four runs over five innings, while Phillies starter Jes¨²s Luzardo -- whom Philly acquired from Miami this offseason -- surrendered just two runs (one earned) in seven innings.
But with Luzardo out of the game in the eighth, the Marlins jumped all over reliever Orion Kerkering with back-to-back singles to start the inning. Two outs later, Sanoja blasted a center-cut sweeper over the fence and into Kirsch¡¯s mitt to put the Marlins up, 5-4.
¡°The moment right there, to put us on top late in the game like that against a really tough right-handed reliever, the guys were incredibly excited for him,¡± manager Clayton McCullough said. ¡°First big league homer, and what a moment for it to happen.¡±
After the Phillies punched back with a run in the bottom of the frame, the Marlins took the lead for good in the 10th as Kyle Stowers drove one in on a sacrifice fly and Sanoja had an RBI knock into center field to give Miami a two-run cushion.
¡°They just hung in there,¡± McCullough said. ¡°It could have been an easy third day here -- another day game, fall behind after a tough stretch, too ¨C for it not to go that way. But they just hung in there and kept trying to put at-bats together.¡±
Sanoja got the start in left field in place of Griffin Conine, who was placed on the 60-day injured list with a dislocated left shoulder. Sanoja looked comfortable at the position, making a nice sliding play in the bottom of the ninth. Now batting .350 in 14 games this season, he will likely see more playing time in that corner outfield spot in Conine¡¯s absence.
¡°Once you have an opportunity, you have to take advantage,¡± Sanoja said. ¡°Take advantage and help the team in any way you can.¡±
The right-handed hitter certainly made the most of his opportunity on Sunday. Now he has the baseball to prove it.