Miami Marlins beat San Diego Padres 6-2 through Jeff Mathis’ leadoff homer – MLB news
Miami Marlins defeated the San Diego Padres 6-2 on Sunday, June 30, 2013 at the Marlins Park after an unexpected leadoff grand slam by Jeff Mathis.
The Marlins ended the month with a 15-10 record, infinitely better than their previous 14-41 record entering the month of June and improving their overall record as well.
The thirty-year-old catcher was pleased with his lead off grand slam which may have surprised some people including Jeff himself. He has been in a bad patch with the bat off late.
“That was awesome,” Mathis said. “That's the first walk-off home run that I hit. That was up there with the walk-off in the playoffs.”
Jeff said that celebrating as a team is always a great feeling no matter what is the reason behind it.
“Any time you are celebrating with your team on the field, no matter what it is, it's a good feeling,” Mathis said.
It was not just with the bat that Mathis performed but was able to catch Mark Kotsay trying to steal the second base with no outs. At the time the match was tied at two runs apiece and the play was instrumental in stopping the Padres from scoring at a crucial juncture in the game.
Marlins' manager Mike Redmond was impressed by the play which he knows was crucial for keeping the home team in the game. Mike also felt that it was not the easiest of plays to make.
“It's a tie game, and that's a big play,” Redmond said. “If he hits a ground ball and it's first-and-third, that's a big play for them. He swung and missed, and we threw him out. That was really a transfer of momentum for us.”
Both teams had some tight pitching during the game and were not in the mood of letting the opposition get off the hook. The Marlins were the first to score as they were able to drive in two runs courtesy of a two-run RBI double by Derek Dietrich. The Padres got back on even terms after a two-run home-run by Carlos Quentin in the top of the seventh.
Padres pitcher Andrew Cashner threw down six innings giving just two runs with five hits. Nathan Eovaldi threw down six innings with five hits and did not give away any runs. The win was recorded by Steve Cishek. He now has a 2-4 win-loss record in the season. Tyson Ross recorded the win against his name after being hit by Mathis.
The Marlins now have a 29-51 win-loss record. Although it is a far from ideal situation, it is much better from where they were standing one month back. Continuing the good work, there is a good chance for the Marlins to improve their current standing in the Major League.
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