Kemp's tiebreaking single helps Dodgers complete sweep of Marlins
By STEVEN WINE | Associated Press | May 1, 08 10:01 PM CDT in
Sports
Matt Kemp drove in the tiebreaking run with a ninth-inning single, and the Los Angeles Dodgers completed their second consecutive series sweep by beating the Florida Marlins 5-3 on Thursday.
The Dodgers have won six straight, their longest winning streak since taking seven in a row to close the 2006 season. The Marlins have lost three in a row for the first time this year.
With the score 3-all, Rafael Furcal led off the ninth with a walk against Kevin Gregg (3-2), advanced on Juan Pierre's sacrifice and scored on Kemp's single.
Kemp stole second, and after a walk, he scored when the Marlins made two throwing errors on a grounder to the pitcher. Gregg threw high to second trying for a forceout, and second baseman Robert Andino made a wild relay throw to first.
Joe Beimel (3-0) threw one pitch, retiring Jeremy Hermida on a popup to end the eighth. Takashi Saito pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save in six chances for the Dodgers, who have won eight of their past 10 games in Miami.
Pierre went 2-for-3 with a two-run double. He also was hit by a pitch, stole a base and scored a run.
Cody Ross hit his first home run for the Marlins.
The Dodgers' Hiroki Kuroda and Florida rookie Burke Badenhop left with the score 3-all. Kuroda allowed only five hits and no walks in seven innings but remained winless since April 4. Badenhop pitched six innings for the first time but remained winless in four starts.
Matt Treanor became Florida's first baserunner when his wind-blown fly in the third dropped for a single. He scored on a two-out double by Hanley Ramirez.
The Dodgers tied it in the fourth. Pierre was hit by a pitch, stole second and came home on Andre Ethier's two-out single.
Pierre's two-run double in the fifth put the Dodgers ahead 3-1, but Ross' two-run homer in the bottom of the inning tied it again.
Notes:@ Dodgers RHP Jonathan Broxton (side) will throw a bullpen session Friday, and if it goes well, he may be available for that night's game at Colorado, manager Joe Torre said. ... Dodgers RHP Jason Schmidt may start a rehab assignment after throwing a bullpen session Friday. ... With a 12:10 p.m. start following a night game, Torre held James Loney, Jeff Kent and Andruw Jones out of the starting lineup. Josh Willingham and Mike Jacobs, both nursing injuries, sat out for Florida.
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