Miami Marlins outfielder Jesus Sanchez hit a game-tying home run in a win over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday in Miami. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI |
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MIAMI, July 23 (UPI) -- Jesus Sanchez could have blinked on Tuesday and missed watching his 12th homer of the season, which sparked a win over the Baltimore Orioles. His 429-foot blast was the fastest homer hit this year by the Miami Marlins.
Sanchez's shot soared over the right field fence in the bottom of the second inning of the Marlins' 6-3 triumph over the best team in the American League in Miami.
The ball traveled 114.7 mph off his bat and flew just 73 feet above the field before curling between the seats and the right field foul pole and landing in a LoanDepot Park concourse.
"He made a mistake," Sanchez said of Orioles starting pitcher Albert Suarez. "I reacted and he paid for it."
Sanchez went 2 for 4 with two runs scored and an RBI for the Marlins, who own the worst record (36-65) in the National League. The Marlins leaned on their bullpen to close out the Orioles, who own the best record (60-40) in the American League.
"We talked about it pregame that we can't hurt ourselves on the bases, we can't give away extra outs and we've got to play the game the right way in order to beat a team like that, and I felt like we did," Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said.
Marlins center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. went 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Left fielder Nick Gordon also drove in two runs for the Marlins.
Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg started the scoring with an RBI single in the first inning. Sanchez evened the score when he stepped up to the plate to lead off the bottom of the second. The Marlins right fielder watched a four-seam fastball slip out of Suarez's pitching hand to start the exchange.
Sanchez then stepped up, pulled his bat off his shoulder and hammered the 93.9-mph inside heave to right field, watching the laser sail over the fence.
"As soon as I looked up it was already in the stands," Chisholm said of the Sanchez homer. "I had to watch the replay to see the swing."
Gordon added a go-ahead single three at-bats later. Chisholm then plated two more Marlins with his second-inning double.
The Orioles scored twice in the third, but the Marlins responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
Marlins relief pitchers Bryan Hoeing, Andrew Nardi, A. J. Puk and Tanner Scott then went on to hold the Orioles hitless over their final 14 plate appearances. Scott triggered a groundout for the game's final retirement, earning his 17th save of the season.
The Marlins will host the Orioles in the second game of the series at 6:40 p.m. EDT Wednesday in Miami.