John Mayberry Jr. Hits Historic 11th-Inning Walk-Off Grand Slam

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Maybe this hitting thing really is contagious, and John Mayberry Jr. is the latest player in the Phillies clubhouse to catch the bug. JMJ came off the bench to belt not one, but two home runs – a solo shot to re-tie the score in the 10th inning, and finally the walk-off grand slam in the 11th to close out the Marlins 7-3.

Originally pinch hitting in the pitcher’s spot during the seventh inning (technically it was for Laynce Nix following a Miami pitching change to a lefthander), Mayberry remained in the game as a defensive substitution for Delmon Young. Who knew at the time he would also power the Fightins’ offense to a thrilling victory.

[watch Mayberry's two extra-innings bombs here]

Mayberry’s first bomb came off of side-armed righty Steve Cishek, clearing the high wall in center – this in a lead-off at bat after the Fish had retaken the lead to cast a pall over Citizens Bank Park. Then in the 11th, he absolutely scolded a line drive out to left with just enough distance to land in the first row. The blasts were his first since April 27, giving him four for the season. Oh, and then there's this:

Domonic Brown did not hit a homer, but besides apparently rubbing off on one of his fellow outfielders, he helped start the game-winning rally. The scorekeeper charged losing pitcher Edgar Olmos with an error on Brown’s softly-nubbed ball up the first-base side, but it was a tough play that arguably should have extended a hitting streak to nine games.

With Charlie Manuel using up most of his bench during the initial comeback, Kyle Kendrick entered the game for Michael Stutes to sacrifice Brown over to second for out number two. Marlins manager Mike Redmond had Freddy Galvis intentionally walked to get to Erik Kratz, who also drew a freebie to set up Crunch-berry.

Kratz and Delmon Young each had an RBI in the seventh to even the score at two apiece. Jonathan Pettibone surrendered two runs to Miami – one earned – off of seven hits in six frames of work, a nice recovery from his disastrous start against the Red Sox last week. Stutes was the pitcher of record for the Phillies.

While the finish to this one would have been dramatic entirely on its own, the win was made all the sweeter due to a controversial call in the eighth inning that may have cost the Phillies an opportunity to take the game outright. We’ll have more to come on Bob Davidson’s questionable officiating at second base and the uproar it caused at CBP, but this here is Mayberry’s moment.

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