Marlins' Top 5 Mother's Day Moments

(Mandatory Credit: Robert Mayer-USA TODAY Sports)
Whether you're just enjoying a day with mom, taking her out to the ballgame or trying just to leave her alone, there's one thing about Mother's Day and the Florida/Miami Marlins. They've played on that day every year since their inception in 1993.

This year's opponent for the second Mother's Day in a row will be the Atlanta Braves. Whether you get to watch the action or are busy with mom, we've got the good times for you. Here's a look at the top five moments in Marlins' history on Mother's Day:

5. Moore's Pinch-Hit Blast
May 14, 2017
For most of last season's Mother's Day contest, the Miami Marlins had been unable to figure out Atlanta Braves' starting pitcher R.A. Dickey. Through six innings, the Marlins had been kept off the scoreboard and held to three hits. Trailing 1-0 in the seventh however, the Marlins had something brewing. After Giancarlo Stanton doubled and A.J. Ellis walked, Miami turned to pinch-hitter Tyler Moore with two outs. Moore took the first pitch he saw from the knuckleballer Dickey and hammered it over the left-center field wall for a mammoth 3-run shot. That would be the decisive blast in a 3-1 win for the Fish at Marlins Park.

4. Johnson's Go-Ahead Grand Slam
May 13, 2001
One night after catching a no-hitter from A.J. Burnett, Florida catcher Charles Johnson was supposed to be given the day off as the Marlins sought to take a 3-game series in San Diego. With the Marlins trailing 4-1 in the top of the seventh inning, Johnson was called upon to pinch-hit with two outs and the bases loaded. On a 1-2 pitch from San Diego's Jay Witasick, Johnson got good wood on the ball and blasted it over the left field wall for a go-ahead grand slam. The shot put the Marlins up 5-4 in what would be an eventual 10-4 win. The Marlins added five runs in the eighth, which included an RBI double from Johnson to run away with the contest and the series.

3. Johnson's Walk-Off Blast
May 12, 1996
Something about Mother's Day seemed to bring out the big hit for former Marlins' catcher Charles Johnson. Aiming for a 4-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies in 1996, Johnson stepped to the plate with a runner on in a 5-5 game in the bottom of the night. Facing reliever Curtis Leskanic, Johnson took a 1-0 pitch left out over the plate and blasted it over the wall in left-center field. The 2-run shot served as the game-winner as Florida topped Colorado, 7-5.

2. Borchard Becomes First Marlin to Homer with Pink Bat
May 14, 2006
In 2006, Major League Baseball began the tradition of allowing players to use a pink bat on Mother's Day to raise awareness for breast cancer. The top of the first inning had not ended in Pittsburgh that year when Joe Borchard became the first member of the Florida Marlins and one of the first in baseball to go yard with a pink bat. Borchard's solo shot off Ian Snell went to right field to give the Marlins a 3-0 lead. Florida would win the game, 8-2.

1. Stanton's Walk-Off Slam
May 13, 2012
Joe Borchard may have been the first Marlin to hit a home run with a pink bat, but Giancarlo Stanton was the first to hit a walk-off home run with one. In the first Mother's Day at Marlins Park, the Miami Marlins looked to be in for heartbreak. A contest that was tied 2-2 in the top of the ninth looked as though it would belong to the New York Mets as the Mets pushed across a pair of runs on a 2-run double from Justin Turner. Trailing 4-2 in the bottom half of the inning however, Miami showed fight. Thanks to an RBI single from Greg Dobbs and a sacrifice fly from Jose Reyes, Miami drew even and the contest looked destined for extra innings. After Hanley Ramirez walked and Austin Kearns was plunked by a pitch, Stanton came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded. Stanton took a 1-0 pitch from Mets' reliever Manny Acosta and blasted it in well over the left-center field wall for a grand slam, capping a 6-run inning and an 8-4 Miami victory.

Mike Ferguson is the founder of Marlins Memories. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson.

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