MIAMI (AP) Derek Dietrich won the game and lost his shirt.
The pinch-hitter’s game-ending RBI triple with two out in the ninth inning helped the Miami Marlins beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 Sunday for split of their four-game series.
The Marlins’ celebration began as Dietrich rounded third. Teammates doused him with water and then tore off his jersey.
“I can’t say I haven’t walked around with my shirt off before,” Dietrich said. “It was a little uncomfortable, but it was a fun moment.”
And what shape is the shirt in?
“It’s gone,” he said. “It’s probably in half.”
The score was tied with two out in the ninth when Adeiny Hechavarria – who had made a costly throwing error earlier – singled off Matt Bowman (1-3). Dietrich then hit a drive into the left-field gap, and center fielder Tommy Pham‘s try at a sliding backhanded catch failed, allowing Hechavarria to score without a play.
Pham said he got his glove on the ball but didn’t go after it full bore because left fielder Jeremy Hazelbaker was also in pursuit.
“I couldn’t dive, because if I’d have dove, I’d have dove right into him,” Pham said. “So I had to slide. It should have been caught by one of the two of us.”
Hazelbaker agreed.
“That ball has got to be caught,” he said.
The teams finished their season series with Miami leading St. Louis by one game in the NL wild-card race.
Andrew Cashner allowed one earned run in six innings in his Marlins debut. Cashner, the centerpiece of a seven-player trade Friday with San Diego, walked none and allowed four hits, including a homer by Greg Garcia.
Cardinals shortstop Aledmys Diaz left the game in the first inning with a bruised right hand after being hit by a pitch. Diaz, who is hitting .312 with 14 homers, is to undergo further examinations Monday.
Carlos Martinez hit Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton in the bottom of the first. There were no subsequent incidents, but Cashner took a postgame jab at the Cardinals.
“I kind of thought they hit (Giancarlo) on purpose,” Cashner said. “That’s kind of the Cardinal way.”
Cashner, who has a history of similar episodes with the Cardinals, noted he hit Diaz with an 0-2 pitch.
“It’s never a spot where I want to hit a guy,” he said.
Cashner was in line for the victory until the Cardinals made it 4-all with two runs in the eighth off Fernando Rodney, and the tying run scored on an ugly throwing error by shortstop Hechavarria.
“That was one that we fought hard to get back into,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “It was a shame to let it go.”
Miami bounced back thanks to Dietrich, who said his walk-off hit was the first of his career. He stepped to the plate in a 4-for-50 slump while adjusting to a part-time role with the return Thursday of second baseman Dee Gordon from an 80-game suspension.
Dietrich said he has no complaints about the demotion.
“Nothing changes for me,” he said. “I’m always ready and I’m expecting to help every day.”
SUZUKI UPDATE
Miami’s Ichiro Suzuki popped out as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning and remained at 2,998 career hits. Suzuki went 2 for 17 on the Marlins’ homestand while starting just twice.
“He’s swinging at some balls out of the strike zone, which is a little bit not like him,” manager Don Mattingly said. Mattingly declined to say whether Suzuki will start Monday at Wrigley Field.
GROOMING
Cashner said he was excited to join a contending team, and willingly shaved his long beard to adhere to the Marlins’ policy of no facial hair.
Removing the beard wasn’t easy, though.
“It took a while,” Cashner said with a laugh. “It was not fun. It started bleeding a little bit. It has been a while since my face has seen the sun. But they told me that was the rule. I’m fine with that. I’m all on board.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cardinals: 3B Jhonny Peralta (thumb) began a rehab assignment Sunday at Single-A Palm Beach, and IF Matt Carpenter (oblique) began a rehab assignment at Double-A Springfield.
Marlins: RHP Colin Rea, acquired with Cashner in the trade, will undergo an MRI Monday on his sprained elbow Monday to determine the extent of the injury. He lasted just 3 1/3 innings in his Marlins debut Saturday and was placed on the disabled list.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (9-5, 4.16) is scheduled to start Tuesday at Cincinnati against Dan Straily (6-6, 3.84). Wainwright is 8-10 with a 4.44 ERA in 25 games against the Reds.
Marlins: LHP Adam Conley (7-5, 3.38) is scheduled to start Monday at the Cubs against RHP Kyle Hendricks (9-7, 2.39).
Picture Credit – Alan Diaz / Associated Press / Miami, FL
