Kent delivers tiebreaking single in ninth to help Dodgers beat Marlins 7-6
By STEVEN WINE | Associated Press | Apr 29, 08 9:09 PM CDT in
Sports
Jeff Kent's two-out single broke a ninth-inning tie, and the Los Angeles Dodgers won their fourth game in a row Tuesday night by beating the Florida Marlins 7-6.
Andre Ethier walked with one out against Kevin Gregg (3-1), took second on a groundout and scored on Kent's single.
Joel Beimel (2-0) pitched a scoreless eighth, and Takashi Saito pitched a perfect ninth for his third save in five chances.
The Dodgers won even though Derek Lowe was unable to protect a 6-1 lead. Dan Uggla hit his fourth homer for the Marlins, and they scored three unearned runs in the fifth for a 6-all tie.
Los Angeles, coming off three-game sweep at home against the NL champion Colorado Rockies, improved to 4-8 on the road. The game started a stretch where the Dodgers play 19 of 31 games on the road.
Kent drove in three runs and Ethier scored three times for the Dodgers, who had 14 hits. Gold Glove catcher Russell Martin twice threw out Hanley Ramirez trying to steal.
Lowe allowed eight hits and six runs, three earned, in five innings.
Florida's Andrew Miller lasted only three innings, allowing six runs and nine hits, even though only one ball was hit hard. The Dodgers scored all their runs against Miller with two out, and his ERA rose to 9.12.
Los Angeles manager Joe Torre used his 25th lineup in 26 games, and it clicked early, with several grounders finding holes. Martin singled home a run in the first, and Matt Kemp and Kent hit two-run singles in the second. Andruw Jones scored on a wild pitch in the third.
Florida trailed 6-3 before the fifth. After the first two Marlins were retired, Dodgers first baseman James Loney bobbled a grounder by Ramirez for an error. Uggla walked and both scored on Jeremy Hermida's double. Jorge Cantu followed with a single to make the score 6-all.
The Marlins rank next-to-last in the NL in fielding, but fine defense helped them prevent the Dodgers from scoring in two innings with the game tied.
Florida robbed the Dodgers with back-to-back circus catches in the sixth. Second baseman Uggla tumbled into the first row of seats, landing upside down, to catch a foul pop. Center fielder Alfredo Amezaga followed with a diving catch of Ethier's shallow fly with a runner at second to end the inning.
Uggla made a strong relay on a double by Mark Sweeney to throw out Blake DeWitt trying to score from first with two out in the eighth. Catcher Mike Rabelo held onto the throw despite taking a tumble in a collision with Sweeney, then rose and spiked the ball as he headed for the dugout.
Notes:@ Dodgers RHP Jason Schmidt, recovering from shoulder surgery last June, threw 78 pitches in a bullpen session and may start a rehab assignment this week. ... Dodgers RHP Jonathan Broxton (strained right side) was unavailable. ... Marlins LF Josh Willingham (stiff back) was a late scratch from the lineup. 1B Mike Jacobs (finger) sat out but may start Wednesday, manager Fredi Gonzalez said. ... LHP Scott Olsen, scheduled to start Wednesday, is 0-2 in two starts against the Dodgers with an ERA of 7.36.
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