Brett Tomko pitches 6 innings to helps Royals beat slumping Marlins 7-6
By STEVEN WINE | Associated Press | May 16, 08 10:15 PM CDT in
Sports
Brett Tomko pitched six innings Friday night for his first victory in nearly six weeks, and two unearned runs helped the Kansas City Royals extend their winning streak to five games by beating the slumping Florida Marlins 7-6.
Closer Joakim Soria allowed a run for the first time this season when he gave up a two-run homer to Jeremy Hermida on an 0-2 pitch with one out in the ninth. Soria then struck out Hanley Ramirez and Jorge Cantu for his 11th save.
The Royals' win streak is their longest since last June. NL East-leading Florida has lost four in a row for the first time this year.
Tomko (2-4) allowed five hits and two runs to win for the first time since April 6. He had lost his past four decisions.
Miguel Olivo drove in two runs for Kansas City with his fifth homer, and Jose Guillen had three hits and drove in two runs.
Andrew Miller (3-3) allowed four runs, two earned, in five innings for the Marlins.
Shortstop Ramirez committed the error that allowed two unearned runs to score, and he also went 0-for-5. His $70 million, six-year contract extension is expected to be formally announced Saturday.
Florida's Dan Uggla hit his 13th home run and also doubled and scored.
Hermida hit his fifth homer after Soria walked Cody Ross with one out. Soria threw 16 2-3 scoreless innings to start the season, one-third of an inning shy of the Royals record.
The Marlins rank last in the majors in defense, and two fielding gaffes hurt them in the fourth inning. When Olivo hit a dribbler in front of the plate, Miller had a routine play but threw wide of the bag to first baseman Wes Helms. Because Helms wasn't standing on the base, Olivo was credited with an infield hit.
With the bases loaded and two out, Tomko hit a one-hopper to Ramirez, and his errant throw to first allowed a run to score. Miller walked Joey Gathright to force in another run and give Kansas City a 4-1 lead.
The Royals scored twice in the first when Mark Grudzielanek walked, Alex Gordon doubled and Guillen hit a two-run single. Olivo homered for a 6-2 lead after Billy Butler doubled in the eighth.
Gordon singled home a run in the ninth.
Uggla homered in the third to make it 2-1. Matt Treanor hit a two-out RBI double for Florida in the fourth, and Helms doubled home two runs in the eighth.
Notes:@ Marlins 1B Mike Jacobs, who has been held out of the starting lineup since May 7 because of tightness in his right thigh, said he hopes to start Saturday. ... LF Josh Willingham (back strain) said he doesn't expect to return until late this month at the earliest. ... Marlins RHP Josh Johnson will throw a simulated game Monday for the first time since undergoing elbow surgery last August. RHP Anibal Sanchez will throw live batting practice early next week for the first time since undergoing surgery last June for a torn labrum. ... Tomko went 0-for-3 and is hitless in his past 37 at-bats.
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