Baseball Guru
04-22-2004, 09:45 AM
Lowell's homers spark win
Pierre races home with go-ahead run in 12th
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com
http://mlb.mlb.com/images/2004/04/22/y5PtVtxR.jpg
Juan Pierre slides into home with the winning run in the 12th inning. (George Widman/AP)
PHILADELPHIA -- Mike Lowell made franchise history Wednesday night with three home runs. But it was the speed of Juan Pierre that helped manufacture the decisive run in a thrilling, 12th-inning 8-7 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
A crowd of 34,060 saw a 4-hour, 30-minute marathon in which Lowell become the first Marlin to go deep three times in a game. The two-time All-Star finished 4-for-6 with four RBIs, and had his eighth career multihomer game.
As Lowell was upping his home run total to four on the season, it was Pierre's fourth run of the season that proved the difference on a night the Marlins overcame a four-run deficit.
"What can I say?" Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. "These guys know how to win. They could have given up when we were four runs down. We battled back."
Pierre walked with one out, stole second and went to third when catcher Mike Lieberthal's throw went into center. Luis Castillo's sacrifice fly to short left field brought in Pierre, who slid home as Pat Burrell's throw bounced off him.
"It was late-in-the-season-type atmosphere," Pierre said of the high drama. "It was just a dogfight. ... We showed a lot of heart."
Justin Wayne, who tossed two scoreless innings, picked up the win. Ryan Madson took the loss.
If the game progressed another inning or so, starter Brad Penny was getting ready to throw. Penny last started on Sunday in Atlanta.
The Marlins have now taken two straight against the Phillies this series and have won eight in a row -- and 17 of 19 -- going back to last year. The win assures Florida of a winning road trip, on which they are 5-3. They go for the sweep of Philadelphia on Thursday.
Lowell's third homer of the night, a solo shot off hard-throwing Billy Wagner to lead off the ninth, pulled the Marlins even. It was the usually automatic Wagner's first blown save in five attempts.
"I wish I had a secret formula or something," Lowell said of entering the team record books. "It was just a great day. A great day."
Lowell's homer off Wagner came on a full count.
After working out of a jam in the seventh inning, Marlins reliever Chad Fox surrendered a two-out, two-run, pinch-hit homer to Ricky Ledee in the eighth.
Fox was one strike away from preserving a 6-5 lead, but Ledee turned on a 1-2 fastball and delivered his two-run shot to right center. Fox walked Mike Lieberthal to open the inning, and the Phillies catcher went to second on David Bell's tapped grounder to the mound.
"It was stupid, totally stupid," Fox said of trying to throw a fastball down and away when his slider was working effectively all night. "I threw a fastball down and away, hoping maybe he would chase it. I had three chances to throw my slider. It was stupid on my part."
Rallying from 5-1 down, the Marlins scored a season-high five runs in the seventh to take a 6-5 lead.
All the runs were unearned because of a throwing error by Bell. Alex Gonzalez doubled to lead off and with two outs, Castillo tapped a grounder that would have been the third out. But Bell's toss floated over Jim Thome's head at first, allowing Gonzalez to score and Castillo to reach second.
Miguel Cabrera engaged in an 11-pitch at-bat with Roberto Hernandez, fouling off three pitches with two strikes, before ripping an RBI single to center.
Hernandez was lifted for Tim Worrell, and the first batter he faced was Lowell.
Lowell turned on a 2-1 pitch and drove a two-run shot to left-center, tying the game at 5. The Marlins went up on Cordero's first home run as a Marlin, a drive to left.
Marlins starter Carl Pavano tossed five scoreless innings before he surrendered five runs in the sixth.
"The character of this team is unbelievable," Pavano said. "You give up five runs in the sixth inning and we come back and win the ball game. It's been like that forever. I don't expect things to change."
In the bottom of the sixth, Thome belted a two-run opposite-field homer, and Lieberthal had an RBI double.
Placido Polanco chopped a one-out single over Lowell's head at third, and he went to second on Pavano's balk. Bobby Abreu then bounced a grounder to Lowell's backhand side near the third base line. The third baseman's throw drifted over Cordero's head at first base, allowing Polanco to score.
Thome's third homer of the season made it 3-1, and Pavano got deeper into trouble by walking Burrell. Lieberthal's line drive double, just off the tip of Pierre's glove in deep center, brought in the fourth run. Lieberthal moved to third on Gonzalez's throwing error home. After Bell's run-scoring single to left, Pavano was relieved by Matt Perisho, who gave up a double to Jimmy Rollins.
But Nate Bump closed the inning by striking out pinch-hitter Jason Michaels, then getting Marlon Byrd to ground out to third. Carl Pavano / P
"I'm disappointed in myself," Pavano said. "But the morale of the team gives you a lift."
In the first inning, Lowell's home run, a drive that hit the netting on the left-field foul pole, put the Marlins out front, 1-0.
The Marlins had a chance in the 11th, when Mike Redmond singled with one out and went to third on Abraham Nunez's single to right. But Gonzalez grounded to short, with the Phillies getting the force at second for the third out.
The Phillies threatened in the ninth but failed to score. Polanco led off with a ground-rule double off Armando Benitez. On the controversial play, the ball wedged under the padding on the left-field wall. Left fielder Jeff Conine noted the ball was not playable, and third umpire Ed Rapuano called for the double. Polanco circled the bases amidst the confusion.
Phillies manager Larry Bowa disputed the ground-rule double call, arguing for several minutes. The rest of the game was played under protest. After play resumed, Benitez escaped without allowing a run.
Lowell said Rapuano immediately called for the ground-rule double, causing Conine to stop playing the ball.
"Immediately, Rapuano had his hands in the air," Lowell said, referring to the signal for a ground-rule double.
Pierre races home with go-ahead run in 12th
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com
http://mlb.mlb.com/images/2004/04/22/y5PtVtxR.jpg
Juan Pierre slides into home with the winning run in the 12th inning. (George Widman/AP)
PHILADELPHIA -- Mike Lowell made franchise history Wednesday night with three home runs. But it was the speed of Juan Pierre that helped manufacture the decisive run in a thrilling, 12th-inning 8-7 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
A crowd of 34,060 saw a 4-hour, 30-minute marathon in which Lowell become the first Marlin to go deep three times in a game. The two-time All-Star finished 4-for-6 with four RBIs, and had his eighth career multihomer game.
As Lowell was upping his home run total to four on the season, it was Pierre's fourth run of the season that proved the difference on a night the Marlins overcame a four-run deficit.
"What can I say?" Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. "These guys know how to win. They could have given up when we were four runs down. We battled back."
Pierre walked with one out, stole second and went to third when catcher Mike Lieberthal's throw went into center. Luis Castillo's sacrifice fly to short left field brought in Pierre, who slid home as Pat Burrell's throw bounced off him.
"It was late-in-the-season-type atmosphere," Pierre said of the high drama. "It was just a dogfight. ... We showed a lot of heart."
Justin Wayne, who tossed two scoreless innings, picked up the win. Ryan Madson took the loss.
If the game progressed another inning or so, starter Brad Penny was getting ready to throw. Penny last started on Sunday in Atlanta.
The Marlins have now taken two straight against the Phillies this series and have won eight in a row -- and 17 of 19 -- going back to last year. The win assures Florida of a winning road trip, on which they are 5-3. They go for the sweep of Philadelphia on Thursday.
Lowell's third homer of the night, a solo shot off hard-throwing Billy Wagner to lead off the ninth, pulled the Marlins even. It was the usually automatic Wagner's first blown save in five attempts.
"I wish I had a secret formula or something," Lowell said of entering the team record books. "It was just a great day. A great day."
Lowell's homer off Wagner came on a full count.
After working out of a jam in the seventh inning, Marlins reliever Chad Fox surrendered a two-out, two-run, pinch-hit homer to Ricky Ledee in the eighth.
Fox was one strike away from preserving a 6-5 lead, but Ledee turned on a 1-2 fastball and delivered his two-run shot to right center. Fox walked Mike Lieberthal to open the inning, and the Phillies catcher went to second on David Bell's tapped grounder to the mound.
"It was stupid, totally stupid," Fox said of trying to throw a fastball down and away when his slider was working effectively all night. "I threw a fastball down and away, hoping maybe he would chase it. I had three chances to throw my slider. It was stupid on my part."
Rallying from 5-1 down, the Marlins scored a season-high five runs in the seventh to take a 6-5 lead.
All the runs were unearned because of a throwing error by Bell. Alex Gonzalez doubled to lead off and with two outs, Castillo tapped a grounder that would have been the third out. But Bell's toss floated over Jim Thome's head at first, allowing Gonzalez to score and Castillo to reach second.
Miguel Cabrera engaged in an 11-pitch at-bat with Roberto Hernandez, fouling off three pitches with two strikes, before ripping an RBI single to center.
Hernandez was lifted for Tim Worrell, and the first batter he faced was Lowell.
Lowell turned on a 2-1 pitch and drove a two-run shot to left-center, tying the game at 5. The Marlins went up on Cordero's first home run as a Marlin, a drive to left.
Marlins starter Carl Pavano tossed five scoreless innings before he surrendered five runs in the sixth.
"The character of this team is unbelievable," Pavano said. "You give up five runs in the sixth inning and we come back and win the ball game. It's been like that forever. I don't expect things to change."
In the bottom of the sixth, Thome belted a two-run opposite-field homer, and Lieberthal had an RBI double.
Placido Polanco chopped a one-out single over Lowell's head at third, and he went to second on Pavano's balk. Bobby Abreu then bounced a grounder to Lowell's backhand side near the third base line. The third baseman's throw drifted over Cordero's head at first base, allowing Polanco to score.
Thome's third homer of the season made it 3-1, and Pavano got deeper into trouble by walking Burrell. Lieberthal's line drive double, just off the tip of Pierre's glove in deep center, brought in the fourth run. Lieberthal moved to third on Gonzalez's throwing error home. After Bell's run-scoring single to left, Pavano was relieved by Matt Perisho, who gave up a double to Jimmy Rollins.
But Nate Bump closed the inning by striking out pinch-hitter Jason Michaels, then getting Marlon Byrd to ground out to third. Carl Pavano / P
"I'm disappointed in myself," Pavano said. "But the morale of the team gives you a lift."
In the first inning, Lowell's home run, a drive that hit the netting on the left-field foul pole, put the Marlins out front, 1-0.
The Marlins had a chance in the 11th, when Mike Redmond singled with one out and went to third on Abraham Nunez's single to right. But Gonzalez grounded to short, with the Phillies getting the force at second for the third out.
The Phillies threatened in the ninth but failed to score. Polanco led off with a ground-rule double off Armando Benitez. On the controversial play, the ball wedged under the padding on the left-field wall. Left fielder Jeff Conine noted the ball was not playable, and third umpire Ed Rapuano called for the double. Polanco circled the bases amidst the confusion.
Phillies manager Larry Bowa disputed the ground-rule double call, arguing for several minutes. The rest of the game was played under protest. After play resumed, Benitez escaped without allowing a run.
Lowell said Rapuano immediately called for the ground-rule double, causing Conine to stop playing the ball.
"Immediately, Rapuano had his hands in the air," Lowell said, referring to the signal for a ground-rule double.