MIAMI — Jorge Soler hit a pinch-hit, go-ahead home run in the seventh inning to lead the Miami Marlins to a 4-3 win over the San Francisco Giants on Monday at loanDepot park to begin a three-game series.
Soler’s home run, a 413-foot shot to straightaway center, was his first-ever hit against Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb. Soler was previously 0 for 10 with seven strikeouts against Webb.
It was also just the second-ever pinch-hit home run of Soler’s career. The other came on Sept. 21, 2015, against the Milwaukee Brewers when he was a member of the Chicago Cubs.
Soler now has a team-high five home runs and 10 RBI and is tied with Luis Arraez for the team lead with seven runs scored. Of Soler’s 12 hits this season, 11 have gone for extra-bases (five home runs, six doubles).
It was the final play of Miami’s comeback. The Marlins (9-8) trailed 3-0 heading into the bottom of the third inning after the Giants (5-10) made their share of hard contact against Jesus Luzardo, who pitched just 4 1/3 innings after his pitch count got elevated early.
Miami broke up the shutout in the bottom of the third with a Jazz Chisholm Jr. RBI single that scored Jesus Sanchez, who led off the inning with a double and safely reached base in all three of his plate appearances. The Marlins then cut their deficit to one run when Luis Arraez’s RBI single to right scored Chisholm from second.
In the seventh, Jean Segura led off the frame with an infield single and advanced to third on a Sanchez single down the third-base line and into left field. Nick Fortes hit into a double play before Soler entered to pinch-hit for Garrett Hampson, who started at shortstop.
Soler took a changeup low in the strike zone for Strike 1 before sending a middle-down slider to center field.
Andrew Nardi (1 2/3 innings), Matt Barnes (one inning), Dylan Floro (one inning) and A.J. Puk (one inning) tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to seal the game. Barnes was credited with the win, his first of the season. Puk recorded his second save.
Miami is now 5-0 in one-run games after going 24-40 in those situations last season.
