MIAMI — Hanley Ramirez wasted little time in starting a new RBI streak.
Ramirez homered and Andrew Miller pitched effectively into the seventh inning, leading the Florida Marlins to a 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night.
“Hanley is the type of player who can put the whole team on his back. He strings game after game of RBIs together like I’ve never seen,” said Dan Meyer, who pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.
Ramirez’s 10-game RBI streak was snapped Friday night. Emilio Bonifacio had three hits and scored twice for Florida, which has won four of five. Miller (3-4) allowed three runs, eight hits, one walk and struck out four. He held Pittsburgh hitless through the first four innings.
“I’m trying to attack hitters and get ahead in the count. That’s what I’ve been focusing on and it’s really been paying off for me,” Miller said.
Andy LaRoche and Garrett Jones homered for Pittsburgh, which has dropped five of seven.
Zach Duke (8-7) gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings. He walked three, struck out five and fell to 0-4 in his last six road starts.
Ramirez’s two-run homer in the first gave Florida a 2-0 lead.
“He went and got an outside pitch and pulled it pretty far. That’s why he’s a special player,” Duke said.
Ramirez’s RBI streak, which ended in Friday night’s series-opening loss, was the longest by an NL shortstop since the stat began being kept officially in 1920.
“I’m just trying to stay focused and not worry about anything else. We have good momentum right now and we just want to keep our confidence up,” Ramirez said.
Bonifacio led off with a bunt single. One out later, Ramirez hit his 14th home run and sixth in the last 12 games.
Florida went ahead 3-0 in the fourth. Dan Uggla and Cody Ross opened with singles before Ronny Paulino hit into a double-play to score Uggla.
Andy LaRoche homered to left on Miller’s first pitch of the fifth, and Jones homered on Miller’s first pitch of the seventh to make it 4-3.
“Miller’s a tough guy to figure out, being so tall and throwing across his body,” Andy LaRoche said.
Florida made it 4-2 in the sixth when Jorge Cantu scored on Dukes’s wild pitch with the bases loaded, two outs and Miller batting.
“I thought Zach pitched well, other than the two-run homer and the wild pitch. Even with that, he gave us a chance,” Pirates manager John Russell said.
The Marlins took a 5-3 lead in the seventh. Bonifacio tripled and scored when Ramirez hit into a double play.
Pittsburgh pulled to 3-2 in the sixth when Delwyn Young singled home Andrew McCutchen from second.
Pittsburgh second baseman Freddy Sanchez (back tightness) was sidelined for a second straight day.
He remained day to day. ... Rehabbing Pirates C Ryan Doumit (right wrist) went 0 for 5 as the DH with Rookie level Bradenton (Gulf Coast League) on Saturday. ... Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said RHP Matt Lindstrom (elbow sprain) and RHP Anibal Sanchez (shoulder sprain) will not accompany the team on the next road trip, which begins Monday in San Francisco. “They’ll stay behind and work toward getting better,” Gonzalez said. ... Former cricket hurlers Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel, who finished first and second in an India-based reality television show, made their professional pitching debuts Saturday for Bradenton. LHP Singh, winner of “The Million Dollar Arm” TV show, allowed one run and two hits in one inning. RHP Dinesh Patel pitched a scoreless inning with one strikeout.
Local Sports
Duke, Bucs absorb loss
- Local Sports
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Pirates pick up fourth straight victory
There were times earlier in his career when James McDonald would run into trouble and innings would slow to a crawl. Even worse, runners would disappear, and not in a good way.
Too much thinking. Not enough attacking. -
Sympathetic Pirates add to Cubs’ slide
Andrew McCutchen and the Pittsburgh Pirates can relate to what the Chicago Cubs are going through.
Perhaps more than anyone, they know what it feels like to be on an extended losing streak
– 12 in a row, in the Cubs’ case. -
AAABA League will open after busy offseason
The AAABA League opens on Tuesday at Point Stadium with two new, but familiar managers, a new but familiar sponsor, an expanded interleague schedule and two new franchises committed to the 2013 season.
A lot of activity took place during the offseason, including the AAABA national committee’s vote to expand the age limit to 21 years old beginning in 2013. -
Richland's Lumley settles for pair of silver medals
Paige Lumley was on an emotional roller coaster and seeing silver on Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
The Richland senior had state record jumps twice during the triple jump competition, but ended up with a silver–medal leap of 40 feet,
1¾ inches.
Defending state champion, second-seeded junior Lanae Newsome of Brookville, won with a jump of 40-3½. -
Ridge’s Dull takes second with school-record time
Matt Dull finished his athletic career with his best on Saturday at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.
The Chestnut Ridge senior ran a career-best time of 38.12 to finish second in the 300 hurdles final, also setting another school record. -
Hit batsman lifts Pirates over Cubs
Matt Hague was hit by a pitch from Rafael Dolis with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates sent the Chicago Cubs to their 11th straight loss with a 3-2 victory Saturday night.
Hague took a 96 mph fastball from Dolis (2-4) in the back near the shoulder blade, scoring Jose Tabata and eliciting an incredulous look to the sky by the Cubs reliever. -
Generals return to defeat Sting
It’s been a dramatic month for the Johnstown Generals.
There were two postponed games that left the immediate and long-term future of the franchise in serious doubt just two weeks ago. -
Greater Johnstown Speedway failed to win the support of fans
Back in the late 1950’s, the area stock car racing landscape was populated by a very strong and popular three-track weekend circuit, consisting of the Windber Stadium Speedway, Jennerstown Speedway and the Ebensburg Fairgrounds Speedway.
Thus, it came as a major surprise when the announcement was made that a new track, the Greater Johnstown Speedway, would be built and begin operation in 1958. -
Final PIAA track update - No gold for local athletes
Richland senior Paige Lumley broke the state triple jump record twice in the PIAA Class AA Track and Field Championships today, but it wasn't enough to earn a gold medal.
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PIAA track update - Central Cambria's Brandis earns medal
Central Cambria's Alyssa Brandis claimed the first local medal of this morning's action at the PIAA Track and Field Championshps.
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