The Tribune Democrat, Johnstown, PA

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July 5, 2009

Duke, Bucs absorb loss

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.

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