Another 'Uggla' loss for Pirates
MIAMI — The Florida Marlins fell behind early and blew a lead late. Their pitchers kept loading the bases, and their hitters struggled against a rookie with a 9.26 ERA.
Yet Florida won.
It helped to play woeful Pittsburgh. But the Marlins' 5-4 victory Sunday also offered a gauge of their progress this year.
"We're flying high and we're confident," said Dontrelle Willis, proud to keep the game close for six innings with less than his best stuff. "Games like this early in the season would have been 8-0."
As it was, Willis fell behind 3-1 in the third, and Joe Borowski blew a save chance in the ninth. But Dan Uggla singled home the winning run with one out in the bottom of the ninth.
Florida, once 5-13 in one-run games, improved to 11-19 in that category.
"We're showing resilience like a veteran ballclub, like a St. Louis or New York," Willis said.
The young Marlins lost 13 of their first 15 home games this season, but they're now above .500 in Miami for the first time at 25-24.
"We're getting better," shortstop Hanley Ramirez said. "And we're going to get better."
Alfredo Amezaga walked to start the rally in the ninth against Mike Gonzalez (3-4) and advanced on Ramirez's sacrifice. Uggla followed with a single to center, and Amezaga easily beat Jose Bautista's throw home.
"That's the best situation you can ask for — a chance to win the game," Uggla said. He also hit his 14th homer, his first since June 20.
Willis needed 111 pitches to get through six innings, allowing eight hits and three runs. He twice pitched out of bases-loaded jams.
"What it really boils down to is our missed opportunities in the early part of the game," Pirates manager Jim Tracy said. "We put ourselves in a position where you're living on the edge for the rest of the ballgame."
Pirates rookie Tom Gorzelanny, seeking his first major league win, lowered his ERA to 7.13 by pitching six innings and leaving ahead 3-2. The lead lasted four pitches — Jeremy Hermida hit his fourth homer against Matt Capps to start the seventh.
Joe Borchard followed with a triple and scored on Ramirez's safety squeeze, sliding to beat the throw home by Capps for a 4-3 Florida.
