Renteria Takes Revered Place In Baseball History With Hit
Bill Chastain
The Tampa Tribune
October 28, 1997
Shortstop Edgar Renteria lives every baseball player's dream, delivering the winning hit in Game 7 of the World Series for the Marlins.
Any real baseball fan had been in Edgar Renteria's shoes as the Marlins' shortstop stepped into the batter's box in the bottom of the 11th inning Sunday night.
Whether it happened while standing in the back yard holding a Wiffle Ball bat or relaxing at a beach cabana with waves crashing in the background, the imagery of the daydream is universal.
Bases loaded, two outs, last inning of Game 7 of the World Series, a hit wins the game. Up comes (insert your name).
Facing Charles Nagy, the Indians' scratched Game 7 starter who instead came on in relief, Renteria fell behind in the count 0-1 before his date with destiny came to fruition. Nagy delivered and Renteria connected, driving a shot back through the middle.
For an instant, the 67,204 fans at Pro Player Stadium held their breath as acrobatic Indians shortstop Omar Vizquel moved toward the ball. Would he once again produce his magic and stifle a Marlins' moment? Unfortunately for the Indians, some things are out of reach - even for magicians - and South Florida could breathe once again. The ball landed in center field, giving the Marlins a 3-2 victory and the World Series title.
Instantly music broke out, evoking the best images of a Latin festival as Renteria was paraded around the field on the shoulders of his teammates.
"This is the greatest thing in life," said Renteria, the exuberance of his youthful face on display. "I want to share this with all the people in Colombia and the fans in Miami."
Nobody wanted to leave the celebration at Pro Player Stadium after the Colombian-born Renteria had put a fitting end to the Marlins' postseason run.
Coming through in the clutch is something Marlins fans have grown to expect from Renteria, as his two-out single Sunday night was the ninth time this season he has won a game in the Marlins' final at-bat.
"It feels so exciting," Renteria said. "I did it like, three times, or five times to win games before in these situations. So I felt comfortable."
First baseman Jeff Conine was one of two original Marlins remaining on this year's roster. Basking in the afterglow of the ride from expansion team to world champion, Conine waxed glowingly about the Marlins' shortstop.
"He's done it so many times," Conine said. "You've got to feel like, if we want anybody up there, it's him."
The Marlins had trailed 2-1 going into the bottom of the ninth, but Craig Counsell's one-out sacrifice fly scored Moises Alou to tie the score and send the game into extra innings, where Renteria also stood out with his play in the field.
In the top of the 10th, it was Renteria who fielded Marquis Grissom's one-out grounder and threw out Sandy Alomar Jr. at home, terminating the potential winning run.
"I guess every little boy might have imagined this would happen to them at one time," Marlins manager Jim Leyland said. "But we haven't given up all year, and tonight wasn't the night to give up."
At the other end of the spectrum from Renteria sat veteran Indians second baseman Tony Fernandez - who went from being the hero who drove in both Indians runs - to the guy who missed Counsell's 11th inning grounder that surely would have been an out and possibly turned into a double play.
"I just missed the ball," Fernandez said. "I don't want to make excuses. I know how you can go from the top to bottom like this. That's life. ... Like everything else in life, this too shall pass."
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