RioSexyBallGirl
06-09-2002, 11:13 PM
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Marlins were finally able to fish a win out of Minnesota on Sunday, defeating the Twins, 6-3 before 29,448 fans at the Metrodome.
Florida starter Julian Tavarez (4-3) threw six innings and allowed two runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts. The win enabled the Marlins to salvage one game in the three-game series.
"He did a hell of a job today," Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said of Tavarez. "That's the same guy who five games ago couldn't hit 80. He did a good job of getting out of some jams. He made some pitches. To win that last game was big, especially against these guys. They're good. They really are."
Derrek Lee provided the Marlins' power with a pair of solo home runs to center field off Twins starter Rick Reed (6-3). In the second inning with Minnesota up 1-0, Lee took a hanging 2-2 pitch from Reed and launched it 411 feet to tie the game 1-1.
With Florida up 2-1 in the fourth inning, Lee returned and clubbed a 409-foot homer, his 12th, on Reed's first pitch.
Mike Lowell added three RBIs for the Marlins. In the third and fifth innings, Lowell hit RBI singles, scoring Andy Fox both times. Fox, who also contributed three hits, scored his third run of the game on a Lowell sacrifice fly in the seventh inning that gave Florida a 6-1 lead.
Reed allowed six runs on 10 hits over 6 1/3 innings of work. He walked two and struck out three.
Minnesota picked up its first run off Tavarez in the first inning on a Corey Koskie triple to the right-center field gap that scored Doug Mientkiewicz in the first inning.
But, they had many golden opportunities to score more runs.
The Twins loaded the bases twice during the game, but the combined rallies yielded just one run. With one out in the fifth inning, Lee flashed some leather on defense when robbed Koskie of an extra-base hit. The first baseman reacted quickly to Koskie's line drive down the line with a nice diving catch. The rally ended with Torii Hunter striking out.
"The play that (Lee) made at first base was unbelievable," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "The ball was by him. That was the play of the game. The wing span that he had on that ball was unbelievable."
In the seventh inning, the Twins chased Tavarez with base hits by Jacque Jones and Cristian Guzman with no outs. Relief pitcher Armando Almanza walked Mientkiewicz to give Koskie another opportunity. After Koskie hit a sacrifice fly to score Jones and make it 6-2, Almanza escaped danger when Hunter struck out and David Ortiz popped out in foul territory near third base.
"I'm disappointed," Gardenhire said. "We had a lot of opportunities to drive in runs today. We missed our chances to score. It turned out to be the ball game."
A.J. Pierzynski narrowed Florida's lead to three in the eighth inning with a solo home run to left-center field off reliever Braden Looper. It was Pierzynski's second homer of the year and it extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games.
Vladimir Nunez closed the game for the Marlins with a clean ninth inning for his 15th save of the year.
Interleague play continues for both teams on Monday. The Twins remain home to face the Atlanta Braves for three games, while the Marlins travel to Kansas City for a three-game series against the Royal
Florida starter Julian Tavarez (4-3) threw six innings and allowed two runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts. The win enabled the Marlins to salvage one game in the three-game series.
"He did a hell of a job today," Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said of Tavarez. "That's the same guy who five games ago couldn't hit 80. He did a good job of getting out of some jams. He made some pitches. To win that last game was big, especially against these guys. They're good. They really are."
Derrek Lee provided the Marlins' power with a pair of solo home runs to center field off Twins starter Rick Reed (6-3). In the second inning with Minnesota up 1-0, Lee took a hanging 2-2 pitch from Reed and launched it 411 feet to tie the game 1-1.
With Florida up 2-1 in the fourth inning, Lee returned and clubbed a 409-foot homer, his 12th, on Reed's first pitch.
Mike Lowell added three RBIs for the Marlins. In the third and fifth innings, Lowell hit RBI singles, scoring Andy Fox both times. Fox, who also contributed three hits, scored his third run of the game on a Lowell sacrifice fly in the seventh inning that gave Florida a 6-1 lead.
Reed allowed six runs on 10 hits over 6 1/3 innings of work. He walked two and struck out three.
Minnesota picked up its first run off Tavarez in the first inning on a Corey Koskie triple to the right-center field gap that scored Doug Mientkiewicz in the first inning.
But, they had many golden opportunities to score more runs.
The Twins loaded the bases twice during the game, but the combined rallies yielded just one run. With one out in the fifth inning, Lee flashed some leather on defense when robbed Koskie of an extra-base hit. The first baseman reacted quickly to Koskie's line drive down the line with a nice diving catch. The rally ended with Torii Hunter striking out.
"The play that (Lee) made at first base was unbelievable," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "The ball was by him. That was the play of the game. The wing span that he had on that ball was unbelievable."
In the seventh inning, the Twins chased Tavarez with base hits by Jacque Jones and Cristian Guzman with no outs. Relief pitcher Armando Almanza walked Mientkiewicz to give Koskie another opportunity. After Koskie hit a sacrifice fly to score Jones and make it 6-2, Almanza escaped danger when Hunter struck out and David Ortiz popped out in foul territory near third base.
"I'm disappointed," Gardenhire said. "We had a lot of opportunities to drive in runs today. We missed our chances to score. It turned out to be the ball game."
A.J. Pierzynski narrowed Florida's lead to three in the eighth inning with a solo home run to left-center field off reliever Braden Looper. It was Pierzynski's second homer of the year and it extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13 games.
Vladimir Nunez closed the game for the Marlins with a clean ninth inning for his 15th save of the year.
Interleague play continues for both teams on Monday. The Twins remain home to face the Atlanta Braves for three games, while the Marlins travel to Kansas City for a three-game series against the Royal