Choi Leads Marlins to 4-3 Win in Season Opener

The Marlins held off the pesky Montreal Expos 4-3 in the Season Opener

April 6, 2004
Miami, FL.

The Florida Marlins began their title defense with a 4-3 win over the Montreal Expos in front of a Florida Marlins regular season record breaking crowd of 55,315. Josh Beckett pitched 7 strong innings giving up only 1 run on 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 9. Even with his strong performance Beckett did not get credit for the victory as Chad Fox came in in the 8th inning and gave up the game tying run after giving up 1 run on 2 hits and 2 walks. Matt Perisho came in and got the win after pitching to only batter, who he got to ground out to the 2nd baseman. Armando Benitez pitched the 9th inning and got the save despite giving up a solo homerun to 2B Jose Vidro.

Offensively for the Marlins, 1B Hee Seop Choi was the star of the game driving in 3 runs. Two of which came in the 2 inning when he hit a two-run homer off of Livan Hernandez. In the 8th inning Choi drove in the go ahead run with a fielder’s choice ground out which scored RF Miguel Cabrera. Later that inning catcher Mike Redmond drove in what proved to be the difference in the game as his base hit scored LF Jeff Conine.

Other offensive stars for the game were Juan Pierre who went 2-3 and Mike Lowell who went 1-3 with a double and a run scored.

The Marlins face the Expos in the second game of a three game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05. Brad Penny takes the mound for the Marlins as Claudio Vargas goes for the Expos.