The St. Louis Cardinals rallied late to edge the Miami Marlins 5-4 in a dramatic MLB spring training matchup Monday, overcoming early adversity and a bizarre equipment issue to secure the win.
Right-hander Michael McGreevy didn’t get the start he envisioned. Preparing for his first batter of the spring, McGreevy quickly noticed something was off—the baseball in his hand was heavily scuffed. After tossing it aside for another, he encountered the same issue. Moments later, Miami leadoff hitter Jakob Marsee capitalized, launching a cutter over the right-field wall for a home run to give the Marlins a 1-0 lead.
Marsee finished an impressive day at the plate, going 1-for-2 with a home run, two walks, an RBI, and two runs scored. Despite the rocky start, McGreevy showed composure beyond his experience level. After the home run, he settled in and retired the next three batters, demonstrating the resilience Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol had emphasized before the game.
The unusual circumstances became clearer when home-plate umpire Lance Barksdale rolled several baseballs toward the Cardinals dugout. Marmol and special assistant Yadier Molina quickly realized McGreevy had initially been given batting practice balls.
Miami continued to apply pressure offensively. Christopher Morel contributed with an RBI single that, combined with a throwing error by second baseman JJ Wetherholt, helped extend the Marlins’ lead to 2-1. Later, Javier Sanoja ripped a double to center field in the sixth inning, driving in Griffin Conine to make it 3-2.
Trailing late, the Cardinals mounted a ninth-inning comeback. Ryan Weingartner sparked the rally with a double to center, scoring Jalin Flores and cutting the deficit to 4-3. Moments later, Jeremy Rivas delivered a clutch ground-rule double to right-center, bringing home Weingartner and tying the game at 4-4 while advancing Noah Mendlinger to third.
The decisive moment came when Marlins pitcher Peyton Fosher uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Mendlinger to race home with the go-ahead run.
In a game that featured early confusion, mid-game adjustments, and late-inning heroics, the Cardinals showcased both resilience and opportunism. McGreevy’s ability to shake off a chaotic start and the team’s clutch hitting in the ninth ultimately sealed a hard-fought 5-4 victory over Miami.
