|
|
|
|
 |
|
Scores Schedules Standings Statistics Transactions Injuries: AL | NL Players Weekly Lineup Message Board Minor Leagues MLB Stat Search Clubhouses |
| Sport Sections |
|
|
| |
Thursday, Sep. 28 1:05pm ET
Lee's bat leads to Marlins' sweep | |||||
|
| ||||||
|
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
MIAMI (AP) -- Brad Penny has worked his way into Florida's starting rotation for next season. Penny earned his third consecutive win Thursday as the Marlins beat Montreal 7-4, completing a three-game sweep of the Expos. The 22-year-old right-hander allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings, not returning to the mound after a 39-minute rain delay. He struck out six and walked one in his fourth outing since coming off the disabled list Sept. 2. Penny (8-7) has pitched well in all four starts, giving up a total of nine earned runs while going 3-0. "He went from a guy who was on the outside looking in to a guy I'm counting on to be in the rotation," manager John Boles said. "He really did a great job turning things around." Penny opened the season as Florida's No. 5 starter. But he began the year 3-6 with a 5.40 earned-run average, which, coupled with the emergence of Chuck Smith and A.J. Burnett, left Penny's spot in the rotation in jeopardy. Until now. "He's a pitcher now," Boles said. "He's much more polished. He's really made improvements." So has Derrek Lee. Lee hit his 27th home run Thursday, giving the Marlins a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Though Montreal tied the game at 3 in the fourth, Lee added an RBI sacrifice fly in the fifth to put Florida ahead 6-3. "He's made tremendous improvements," Boles said. "We're looking for a monster year from him next season. He's just starting to blossom. ... I'm looking at 30 home runs and 100 RBIs for him." Added Lee: "That sounds good. Those are good numbers. It's nice to have some things to build on." The Marlins certainly do. They won for the fifth time in six games. Antonio Alfonseca pitched the ninth for his 44th save in 48 attempts. Felipe Lira (5-8) lost for the sixth time in seven starts this season. He gave up six runs and eight in 4 1/3 innings and did not return after the rain delay. Neither did two other Montreal players. The Expos have played 29 games in the last 28 days. "We really needed to rest some guys," manager Felipe Alou said. "We're a tired team." Montreal scored its first three runs with two outs. Tomas DeLaRosa doubled to lead off the third inning, moved to third on a fielder's choice and scored on Terry Jones' single. Jose Vidro also doubled in the fourth, then Brian Schneider and DeLaRosa added run-scoring hits. Schneider singled up the middle to score Vidro, and DeLaRosa followed with a double that scored Schneider. The Marlins had a season-high six doubles, including two in a three-run first inning and two in a three-run fifth. They added a run in the seventh when Ramon Castro doubled and later scored on a wild pitch. "This was a big series for us," Boles said. "Montreal swept us the last time they were here. They pounded us. It was the low point of the season, so this was good." Game notesFlorida finished 8-7 against Montreal this season. ... Marlins OF Preston Wilson pinch-hit in the sixth inning and struck out, giving him 186 Ks this season and leaving him three shy of Bobby Bonds' record, set in 1970. But Boles will not let him get the record, vowing to keep him on the bench. ... Lira began the game with as many or more homers (two) than seven of the 17 other starters in the game. ... The rain delay was Florida's ninth at home this season, totaling 12 hours, 6 minutes. ... Only 7,864 fans showed -- the seventh-smallest crowd at home for Florida this season -- and many of them left during the rain delay. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Montreal Clubhouse Florida Clubhouse RECAPS Anaheim 6 Oakland 3
Florida 7
| |||||