MIAMI – Starling Marte celebrated his Miami debut with a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning, helping the Marlins top the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Marte, who was acquired in a trade with Arizona on Monday, drove a 1-0 pitch from Shun Yamaguchi (1-3) deep to left-center for his third homer. He also reached on an error in the sixth and scored from first on Garrett Cooper's double.
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“Once I hit the ball I felt it,” Marte said through a translator. “I knew it was gone and when I got to the dugout, it was great to enjoy it with the guys. I felt their support. It was a very joyful moment.”
James Hoyt (1-0) got the final two outs in the eighth for the win, and Brandon Kintzler pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save.
Jon Berti homered for Miami, which moved back above .500 at 16-15. It had dropped its last eight home games.
Manager Don Mattingly said he thought Monday's 5-3 win over Jacob deGrom and the New York Mets was a big energy boost for the team.
“You can feel that energy in our clubhouse today and on the field," he said. "And to be able to pull a win just adds to it.”
Robbie Ray made his debut for Toronto, pitching 3 1/3 innings in relief of Julian Merryweather. Ray, who came over in a trade with the Diamondbacks on Monday, allowed two runs, one earned, and four hits.
“It’s been a whirlwind, getting the call yesterday with my family, I have a wife and three kids, we were all in the car together,” Ray said. “We had a day off, so we were all just kind of hanging out and get the phone call, immediately in my head I started scrambling because I had to get to Chase Field to get my bag, and I hadn’t done any laundry yet, so scrambling to pack a bag for that.
"But I was excited, excited to be here and be a part of this team. So I think that was the one emotion I was really feeling, was excitement.”
Jonathan Villar, who was traded from the Marlins to the Blue Jays at the deadline, drove in the first run of the game with a grounder in the first. But he also committed the error that put Marte on in the sixth.
Berti's second homer tied it at 1 in the third. But Derek Fisher put Toronto back in front with a sacrifice fly in the fourth.
Miami right-hander Elieser Hernández departed in the third because of a sore lat muscle. Hernández raised his hands after he threw three consecutive balls to Cavan Biggio and looked toward catcher Jorge Alfaro, prompting a mound visit from Mattingly and training staff.
Hernandez allowed one run and two hits in two-plus innings.
VILLAR’S “UNBELIEVABLE” DAY
Villar was back in Miami with the opposing team. He learned of his trade to the Blue Jays during Miami’s game at New York on Monday afternoon. Villar was removed after making a running catch to end the fifth inning.
“It’s unbelievable,” Villar said. “(Monday), in the middle of the game they told me you’re traded to Toronto. That was a surprise. But you need to be ready for anything. You have to be ready for whatever situation.”
PROSPECT WATCHING
The Marlins promoted infielder Jazz Chisholm from their alternate training site, adding one of the top prospects to their roster. Outfielder Jesus Sanchez was sent down.
Chisholm replaced shortstop Miguel Rojas in the eighth in his big league debut. He was tested immediately, grabbing Cavan Biggio’s liner to start the inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: SS Bo Bichette (sprained right knee) took ground balls, hit in the cage and ran sprints. Although manager Charlie Montoyo said Bichette continues to make progress, there is no timeline for his return.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: LHP Hyun Jin Ryu (2-1, 2.97 ERA) will face the Marlins in the series finale Wednesday.
Marlins: RHP Sixto Sánchez (1-0, 2.25 ERA) will make his third major league start. Sánchez struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings against Tampa Bay on Friday.