CLEVELAND -- When Oscar Gonzalez was tagged out on the plate with two outs within the backside of the ninth inning of Saturday’s nightcap between the Marlins and the Guardians, everybody in Progressive Field thought the sport was over.

With Cleveland’s contact wizard Steven Kwan on the plate, Puk threw an 86 mph sweeper that Kwan hit right into a swinging bunt. Catcher Nick Fortes fielded the ball and obtained it to Puk, who dashed to the plate to use the tag that will have given the Marlins a win.

But, with each managers (or in Miami’s case, an performing supervisor) coming onto the sphere to determine issues out, Puk knew he’d must get Kwan out once more, as he noticed in actual time the ball hit his bat then his hand -- an automated useless ball.

After the mud had settled and Kwan stepped again into the batter’s field, Puk did his job once more, getting Kwan to come out to safe a 3-2 win that clinched the Marlins’ doubleheader sweep of the Guardians.

“When I saw him hit it, I pointed because I thought I saw him hit the ball twice,” Puk mentioned. “I originally thought it was a foul ball, so I knew it was going to be reviewed, and I’d have to go out there and do it again.”

Much like in Game 1 of the doubleheader, the Marlins picked up a victory on the again of a small ball mentality that’s made its method down the Marlins' lineup.

With the sport tied at one within the sixth inning, the underside of the Marlins’ order made its presence identified. After No. 7 hitter Jon Berti led the sixth inning off with a double, No. 8 hitter Nick Fortes moved him over on a bunt single earlier than No. 9 hitter Garrett Hampson drove Berti in with a bloop single. Hampson had his greatest sport of the 12 months within the nightcap, going 2-for-4 on the plate with two RBI hits whereas making a few good performs within the area.

“I felt good out there,” Hampson mentioned. “I got a lot of plays and saw a lot of action. I came up in some big spots today; I think someone was on in every one of my at-bats, so good job by the guys in front of me to contribute.”

That manufacturing from the underside of the lineup was complemented by sizzling streaks from two hitters on the prime, as Luis Arraez and Bryan De La Cruz each had three hits in Game 2, with De La Cruz extending his hitting streak to a career-high 9 video games.

“I’m feeling really good at the plate,” De La Cruz mentioned. “It’s something I’ve really been working on, so it’s awesome to see those results at the plate.”

Arraez’s sturdy exhibiting elevated his batting common on the season to an eye-popping .444, and he’s now second in Marlins historical past with 32 hits via the membership’s first 21 video games.

“I took some heat the other day when I said he’s the modern day Tony Gwynn, but my point is that his bat-to-ball skill is elite,” supervisor Skip Schumaker mentioned. “It’s not a ton of power, but he’ll hit a lot of doubles … It almost looks like he picks which [outfield] hole to hit.”

Schumaker watched the back-half of the sport from the Marlins' clubhouse after he earned his first profession ejection within the fifth inning. Schumaker obtained the heave after home-plate umpire Dan Merzel ejected Jazz Chisholm Jr. from the Marlins' dugout when Chisholm objected to Merzel’s strike zone throughout Garrett Cooper’s at-bat.

“Umpires are going to make questionable calls; that’s part of the game, that’s human,” Schumaker mentioned. “The reality is … he’s not going to be perfect, and we know that.”

Puk and the bullpen had been set as much as lock the sport down after one other sturdy begin from a Marlins starter, as Braxton Garrett scattered 5 hits and one run over 5 2/3 innings to select up the win. His victory got here a number of hours after Devin Smeltzer threw 4 scoreless innings in a spot begin within the opening sport of the doubleheader.

“It’s been awesome, we’re competing in every game,” Garrett mentioned. “The bullpen’s been fantastic. It’s been a lot of fun.”

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