Tyler Wade led the majors with 12 runs scored as a pinch runner last season for the Yankees, so he clearly knows what he's doing in tough baserunning situations.
His first such run for the Los Angeles Angels ended their season-opening homestand on an exciting note — with a little help from a fortunate replay ruling.
Wade slid home when Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas bobbled Max Stassi's grounder in the ninth inning, and the Angels swept a two-game interleague series with a 4-3 victory over Miami on Tuesday night.
After Jack Mayfield drew a one-out walk from Anthony Bender (0-1) in the ninth, Wade stole second on a play upheld by video review. Diving headfirst, Wade over-slid the base after beating the throw. Miami thought Jazz Chisholm applied the tag while Wade’s trailing foot was blocked off the bag by Chisholm's foot.
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“I don’t even know how they come up with ‘Safe’ there,” Miami manager Don Mattingly said. “But it's back to the same old thing with the replay. ‘Stands’ is the worst thing they can do. ‘Stands’ is a cop-out call, and it's really frustrating when you see a guy's hand off the base, he doesn't have his toe (on it), Jazz's foot is in-between. I don't understand. ... I hate ‘Stands.’ I've been saying it from the beginning. I'll say it ‘til I’m done, and when I'm done, I'll keep saying it.”
Much to Mattingly's chagrin, a clear reason to overturn the call wasn't found. Wade and Angels manager Joe Maddon didn't apologize for the ruling, with Wade insisting he was safe anyway after stealing a base in difficult circumstances.
“Everyone knows what I’m trying to do, but I did it for five years in New York,” Wade said. “I feel like I’m well-equipped for those situations.”
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Wade then advanced on a wild pitch and scored when Rojas couldn’t cleanly field Stassi’s hard-hit grounder at the drawn-in infield.
Anthony Rendon hit a two-run homer and Mayfield had an RBI triple for the Angels, who went 3-3 on their homestand. Closer Raisel Iglesias (1-0) pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.
Chisholm hit a tying two-run homer in the seventh and Jesús Luzardo had a career-high 12 strikeouts over five sharp innings in his season debut for the Marlins, who lost four of five on their season-opening California road trip.
Luzardo was outstanding amid the late-afternoon shadows at Angel Stadium, striking out seven of the Halos' first 10 batters — including Shohei Ohtani twice. He struck out the side in the fifth before Mattingly pulled him on 76 pitches, leaving him tied with Dontrelle Willis and Wei-Yin Chen for the franchise record for strikeouts by a left-hander.
“He had everything going,” Mattingly said. “He was good all day.”
Patrick Sandoval allowed three hits and an unearned run over four innings in his first start of the season for the Angels, notably walking the bases loaded in the second before escaping the jam. The left-hander's first start was supposed to be Friday, but was pushed back four days due to arm fatigue.
“Some pitches I would spray it really bad, and then I would find it," Sandoval said. "I felt like I fought pretty well, and I'm happy with the result.”
Rendon was in a 1-for-15 slump to start the season before he pulled a slider from Tanner Scott into the short left field porch at Angel Stadium in the sixth to put Los Angeles up 3-1.
Chisholm answered several minutes later with a homer into the right-field porch to tie it again.
ADELL'S ERROR
Miami went ahead in the third when Bryan De La Cruz's soft two-out single bounced past Angels right fielder Jo Adell. The ugly two-base error allowed Garrett Cooper to score.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: OF Avisail Garcia’s back injury is improving, Mattingly said. Garcia didn’t play in the two-game series.
Angels: SS David Fletcher went on the 10-day injured list with a left hip strain. The team called up Andrew Velazquez from Triple-A Salt Lake, and the journeyman infielder went 0 for 3 in his Halos debut.
UP NEXT
Marlins: After a day off, Sandy Alcantara (0-0, 3.60 ERA) is expected to take the mound in Miami on Thursday for the home opener against Philadelphia.
Angels: Ohtani (0-1, 1.93 ERA) makes his second mound start of the season on Thursday in Los Angeles' road opener at Texas. He pitched one-run ball into the fifth inning against Houston last week.
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