Mattingly, Marlins get in
Miami locks up its first playoff berth since 2003 at place where its manager excelled
The Marlins clinched an improbable playoff berth in their coronavirus-decimated season, beating the New York Yankees 4-3 in 10 innings Friday night to seal a postseason trip on the field of the team that Miami CEO Derek Jeter and manager Don Mattingly once captained.
Miami earned its first postseason trip since 2003 when it won the World Series as the Florida Marlins, capped by a Game 6 victory in the Bronx over Jeter and his New York teammates at the previous version of Yankee Stadium.
The Marlins had the worst record in the NL last year at 57-105, then was beset by a virus outbreak early this season that prevented it from playing for more than a week.
After Jesus Aguilar hit a sacrifice f ly in the top of the 10th, Marlins reliever Brandon Kintzler got major leag ue batting leader DJ Lemahieu to ground into a game-ending double play with the bases loaded.
Miami players ran onto the field, formed a line and exchanged non socially-distant hugs.
The Marlins became the first team to make the playoffs in the year following a 100-loss season. Miami was one of baseball’s great doubts at the start of the shortened season, forced off the field when 18 players tested positive for COVID-19 following the opening series in Philadelphia.
The Yankees have already wrapped up a playoff spot this year.
Mattingly captained the Yankees from 1991-95 and is in his fifth season managing the Marlins. Jeter captained the Yankees from 2003-14 as part of a career that included five World Series titles in 20 seasons and is part of the group headed by Bruce Sherman that bought the Marlins in October 2017.
Miami is second in the NL East at 3028 and improved to 19-13 on the road. The Marlins will play 34 road games due to the schedule disruption caused by the coronavirus; they arrived at their hotel at 5:30 a.m. following a rain-delayed win in Atlanta.
Garrett Cooper, traded to the Marlins by the Yankees after the 2017 season, hit a three-run homer in the first inning off J.A. Happ.
After the Yankees tied the score on Aaron Hicks’ two-run double in the third off Sandy Alcantara and Aaron Judge’s two-out RBI single off Yimi Garcia in the eighth following an error by the pitcher on a pickoff throw, the Marlins regained the lead with an unearned run in the 10th against Chad Green (3-3).
Jon Berti sacrificed pinch-runner Monte Harrison to third and, with the infield in, Starling Marte grounded to shortstop. Gleyber Torres ran at Harrison and threw to the plate, and catcher Kyle Higashioka’s throw to third hit Harrison in the back giving the Yankees a four-error night for the second time in three games,
With runners at second and third, Aguilar hit a sacrifice f ly to the right field warning track as Harrison scored easily.
Brad Boxberger (1-0) walked his leadoff batter in the ninth but got Luke Voit to ground into a double play, and Kintzler held on for his 12th save in 14 chances. Lemahieu went 0-for-4, lowering his batting average to .348.