|
|
|
|
 |
|
Scores Schedules Standings Statistics Transactions Injuries: AL | NL Players Weekly Lineup Message Board Minor Leagues MLB Stat Search Clubhouses |
| Sport Sections |
|
|
| |
Sunday, Jul. 2 1:35pm ET
Marlins' Cornelius baffles Expos | |||||
|
| ||||||
|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
MONTREAL (AP) -- Don't look now, but things are looking up for the Florida Marlins. Mark Smith hit two home runs and Reid Cornelius shut down Montreal for eight innings, giving the Marlins a 2-1 win Sunday and their first three-game sweep of the Expos. The win, Florida's sixth in its last nine games, moved the Marlins a half-game ahead of Montreal into third place in the NL East. "The third-place Florida Marlins -- Holy cow, that sounds good!" Florida manager John Boles said. Florida salvaged a 3-3 road trip, after being swept by the Mets at Shea Stadium. "I was really proud of our guys because we had such a tough time in New York," Boles said. "And after getting swept in New York, to win three in a row here means a lot." The Marlins have won 12 of their last 17 games to reach the .500 mark at 41-41. Montreal has lost four in a row. Cornelius (3-2), who made his major league debut with Montreal in 1995, allowed four hits -- all in the first two innings. He set down the last 15 batters he faced after Fernando Seguignol reached on shortstop Andy Fox's error leading off the fourth. "He knows how to pitch, he really does," Boles said. "When he's got command like he had today, he's been huge for us." Antonio Alfonseca pitched the ninth for his 25th save -- and third straight -- in 28 opportunities. Trailing 1-0 following Vladimir Guerrero's RBI single in the first, Smith homered off Julio Santana (1-0) in the second and again in the fifth. It was Smith's first multihomer game in the majors. "I just got some pitches to hit and took advantage of them," Smith said. "When I get an opportunity to play, I like to contribute somehow, and I was able to do that today." Montreal's Jose Vidro went 0-for-4 to end his career-best hitting streak at 14 games. "It was tough out there today, a lot of off-speed stuff," Vidro said. "He kept everybody off-balance and didn't throw a lot of strikes." Santana, making his first start in six appearances since he was signed by the Expos as a free agent June 18, struck out a career-high eight. He allowed two runs and four hits in five innings. "I'm happy that I got the opportunity to go out there and start," Santana said. "I think things went well, in a way, and things didn't go well, in a way." Montreal fell one game below .500 for the first time since April 7. The Expos, 26-19 at Olympic Stadium, finished 4-8 for their first losing homestand of the season. "We couldn't get it going," Vidro said. "We're not playing well right now. Nothing is going our way right now." Game notesCornelius was Montreal's 13th-round pick in the June 1988 draft. ... Marlins SS Alex Gonzalez missed his sixth straight start because of an injured middle right finger. ... Vidro went 21-for-58 (.362) with five doubles, four homers and eight RBI over the course of the streak, which began June 16. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Florida Clubhouse Montreal Clubhouse RECAPS Cleveland 7 Minnesota 1
Florida 2
| |||||