This Day in Marlins History: April 5

The Marlins have a history that starts well before their first game in 1993.

1965

Chris Carpenter, a reliever with the inaugural Florida Marlins, was born on this date 55 years ago. For the 1993 club, he was 0-1 with a team-second 2.89 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, and 26 K’s in 37 1/3 innings.

1976

Ross Gload was born on this date 44 years ago. A 13th round choice of the Florida Marlins in 1997, he eventually had a 10-season major league career. In 2009 with the Marlins, he played in 125 games and hit .261/.329/.400 with six home runs.

1993

Prior to their first game, the Marlins purchased the contracts of Bob McClure, Joe Klink, and Rich Renteria from the Triple-A Edmonton Trappers in the Pacific Coast League.

Marlins 6, Dodgers 3

In front of 42,334 fans at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, the Florida Marlins, making their major league debut, defeat the Dodgers, 6-3. Joe DiMaggio throws out the ceremonial first pitch, and the team retires uniform number 5 in tribute to Carl Barger, their late president. – National Pastime

Jeff Conine went four-for-four at the plate and scored two runs. Benito Santiago and Bret Barberie each collected a pair of singles, and Walt Weiss drew a walk, hit a single, a triple, and added two RBI. Charlie Hough earned the win, striking out four over six innings. He gave up three runs on six hits and two walks. Bryan Harvey collected the save with a scoreless ninth.

1994

Dodgers 4, Marlins 3

In front of 53,761 at Dodgers Stadium, the Marlins and Dodgers kicked off their season. Jeff Conine and Kurt Abbott each went deep, but the Marlins could only manage one other run, scored on three singles. Charlie Hough earned no decision, giving up two earned runs on six hits and a pair of walks in six innings.

1996

Giants 7, Marlins 1

Kurt Abbott led the Marlins offense with a single and a double, and Gary Sheffield brought the only Florida run home with a solo homer, his second of the season. Pat Rapp took the loss, giving up five earned runs on six hits and three walks in seven frames. he struck out three.

1997

Marlins 4, Reds 3, 11 innings

Edgar Renteria led Florida’s offense with three hits, including a home run and the walkoff game winning single in the bottom of the 11th inning. Gregg Zaun also finished with multiple hits in the game. Tony Saunders started for the Fish, and turned in a quality start by allowing three runs in 6 2/3 innings, on four hits and two walks while striking out three. Robb Nen earned the win in relief, striking out a pair in a scoreless 11th inning.

1998

Brewers 5, Marlins 2

Livan Hernandez (1-1, 5.40) turned in a solid effort, limiting the Brewers to three runs in eight innings. He took the loss, despite striking out six batters. He also led the Marlins offense with a pair of singles. Cliff Floyd hit his fourth homer of the season, as the Marlins dropped to 1-5.

1999

Marlins 6, Mets 2

Opening day 1999 would see the Marlins host 38,983 at Pro Player Stadium, and defeat the Mets, 6-2. The top seven in Florida’s batting order would all hit safely, going a combined 11-for-28 with six runs and six RBI. Kevin Orie hit a pair of doubles, Luis Castillo and Derrek Lee hit a single and a double each, and Mark Kotsay also collected a pair of base hits.

Alex Fernandez struck out five in as many innings for the victory, giving up one run on five hits and three walks.

2000

Giants 11, Marlins 9

Cliff Floyd hit two singles and a double, and Luis Castillo and Kevin Millar each hit safely twice in a wild 11-9 loss with 8,365 in attendance at Pro Player Stadium.

Vladimir Nunez gave up seven runs in 4 1/3 innings after starting, earning no decision. Antonio Alfonseca later blew a save and took the loss by allowing four runs on five hits in one inning.

2002

Phillies 6, Marlins 2

The Phillies hosted the Marlins plus 50,958 at Veterans Stadium, and topped the fish by four.

Preston Wilson led the offense with a pair of doubles and the only Marlins RBI of the game, and Kevin Millar added a single and a double. Julian Tavarez took the loss by surrendering six runs on six hits and four walks in three innings, striking out three.

2003

Marlins 17, Braves 1

The Marlins dropped 11 runs in the first three innings, torching Greg Maddux for nine on eight hits and a pair of walks in the first two. Josh Beckett (1-1, 3.12) got the win, striking out nine Braves in six innings, while allowing one run on six hits and three walks.

2005

Marlins 9, Braves 0

Josh Beckett kept the Braves scoreless on two hits and three walks over six innings, striking out six on opening day 2005. Carlos Delgado picked up four hits with three RBI, and Juan Encarnacion hit a grand slam home run.

Miguel Cabrera, Mike Lowell, and Paul Lo Duca also collected multiple hits in the game.

2006

Astros 6, Marlins 5

Brian Moehler only lasted two innings, and surrendered all six runs to the Astros on six hits and a walk for the loss.

Florida’s offense racked up 10 hits, including three from Miguel Cabrera and two each from Jeremy Hermida and Dan Uggla.

Nate Bump was outrighted to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes in the Pacific Coast League.

2007

Taylor Tankersley was assigned to the minors for rehab.

2013

Marlins 7, Mets 5

Placido Polanco went three-for-five with a pair of RBI to help the Marlins wrangle their first win of the season in their fourth game. Justin Ruggiano and Rob Brantly each had a pair of hits, and Greg Dobbs hit his first homer of the season.

Alex Sanabia (1-0, 0.00) lasted six innings and didn’t give up a run, allowing six hits.

Casey Kotchman was placed on the 15-day DL with a strained left hamstring, and Kyle Skipworth was called up from the Zephyrs.

2014

Marlins 5, Padres 0

Jose Fernandez (2-0, 0.71) struck out eight over 6 2/3 three-hit innings on his way to a victory with 35,188 in the house at Marlins Park. The Marlins were at that point 5-1 in the early going, and anything seemed possible.

Derek Dietrich, Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, and Casey McGehee each pitched in with a pair of hits, but nobody went deep for Miami in an instance of victory by small-ball.

The Marlins signed Micah Owings, a six-year major league veteran, to a minor league contract.

2015

Aaron Crow was placed on the 15-day DL with a sprained right elbow, and Jose Fernandez was moved to the 15-day DL as well in recovery from his Tommy John procedure. Don Kelly‘s contract was purchased from New Orleans.

2016

Tigers 8, Marlins 7, 11 innings

The Marlins dropped a close one to Detroit with 36,911 home fans at Marlins Park. Dee Gordon hit two doubles and a triple to lead Miami’s offense, but nobody else had more than one hit. Giancarlo Stanton had a pair of RBI, while Adeiny Hechavarria, Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich, and Gordon had one each.

Wei-Yin Chen started and collected no decision, giving up five runs on nine hits in five innings. He struck out three and walked zero. Craig Breslow (0-1, 9.00) earned the loss on an Ian Kinsler RBI-single in the top of the 11th.

2017

Nationals 6, Marlins 4

J.T. Realmuto had a pair of hits, including his first homer of the season amongst his two RBI in the game. Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna each had two hits, and Ozuna had the other two RBI in the loss.

Dan Straily (0-1, 13.50) lasted 3 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on six hits and two walks. He didn’t strike anyone out. Kyle Barraclough and A.J. Ramos each pitched a scoreless innings later on.

Garrett Cortright was signed to a minor league deal and pitched to a 6.53 ERA in 20 2/3 innings between the Jupiter Hammerheads and the Greensboro Grasshoppers before getting released.

2018

Phillies 5, Marlins 0

The Phillies pushed the Marlins to 2-5 with 44,488 on hand at Citizens Bank Park. The only offense Miami could muster was a double from Brian Anderson and singles from Derek Dietrich, Starlin Castro, and Justin Bour.

Caleb Smith (0-1, 4.32) struck out four in three innings, but also gave up three runs on two hits and six, count ’em six walks.

More from Marlins History

• Miami Marlins One-Year Wonder 1B
• Miami Marlins players & the 2023 Hall of Fame
• Former Miami Marlins star is retiring
• Gary Sheffield or Mark Buehrle, will either Marlin make the Hall of Fame?
• Why don’t we see more dynasties? Part 3

Garrett Cooper was placed on the 10-day DL with a bruised wrist, and Braxton Lee was called up from the New Orleans Baby Cakes. Lee, who had led the Southern League with a .309 batting average in 2017, managed to go just three-for-17 in a limited look at the big league level.

2019

Braves 4, Marlins 0

Kevin Gausman held the Marlins to two hits over seven shutout innings, and Pablo Lopez took the loss. Brian Anderson, JT Riddle, and Martin Prado were the only Marlins to collect hits in the game.

Lopez gave up four runs on seven hits and a walk, striking out five in five frames. Tyler Kinley, Drew Steckenrider, and Tayron Guerrero relieved with an inning each of hitless baseball.

On April 5th, the Marlins are 9-12 throughout their major league history. How’d they do on April 6th? Find out tomorrow.