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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, September 30, 2006

Maui's Victorino wears out Marlins in Phillies' 14-2 win

Associated Press

Philadelphia Phillies' Shane Victorino is all smiles after his career-high five-hit night against the Florida Marlins.

LYNNE SLADKY | Associated Press

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MIAMI — The Philadelphia Phillies want to keep playing next week, even if they are desperate for some rest.

Needing sleep, but needing a win more, the Phillies stayed in the NL wild-card race last night by drubbing the Florida Marlins, 14-2.

The victory came barely 12 hours after the Phillies arrived at their team hotel following a second successive late-night finish in Washington. Thursday night's 3-1 loss ended at 2:07 a.m., and the Phillies reached their team hotel in Fort Lauderdale at 8:20 a.m.

But they hardly looked bleary-eyed. Philadelphia totaled 18 hits, including five by Shane Victorino. Two homers by Pat Burrell also helped the Phillies remain two games behind Los Angeles and San Diego, the wild-card and NL West co-leaders, with two games left in the regular season. One more loss would eliminate the Phillies, who also would be knocked out if the Dodgers and Padres both win one more game.

"Definitely everyone is tired," said Victorino, a 1999 St. Anthony graduate from Maui. "We found a way to do it and overcome what happened last night and put up 14 runs."

The Dodgers began a three-game series at San Francisco by rallying in the ninth inning for a 4-3 win last night.

"We need Barry Bonds to get hot," Phillies second baseman Chase Utley said.

Burrell was hot for Philadelphia. He hit a three-run homer following an intentional walk to Ryan Howard, then added a solo homer, giving him 29 this year. That broke the Phillies' franchise record of 215 homers set in 2004.

Burrell reached base five times and scored four runs. Victorino had a career-high five hits by the sixth inning and finished 5 for 6, driving in three runs.

The only Phillies starter to go hitless was Howard, who went 0 for 3 with two walks to remain at 58 homers.

"You would think they would come out weak and not ready to play," Marlins catcher Matt Treanor said. "But that wasn't the case. Those guys know what they have on the line."

Even Jamie Moyer (5-2) had a hit — and scored his first run this year. He allowed one run, departing after five innings with a 13-1 lead and beating Florida for the third time this month.

Moyer accompanied the team on its trip yesterday morning, rather than flying to Florida a day ahead of his start, as pitchers sometimes do.

"The travel and lack of sleep is overrated," Moyer said. "When you get to this point in the season, you've got to go out and play. Everybody is tired; every game means something."

Brian Moehler (7-11) gave up seven runs in 3 1-3 innings, hiking his ERA to 6.57. Florida fell to 5-12 against Philadelphia this year.

"They've beat up on us all year," Florida manager Joe Girardi said. "I'm tired of it, and I know our players are tired of it."

Victorino doubled in the third, and with two outs, Girardi ordered Howard walked. Burrell homered on the next pitch, then homered again in a three-run fifth for a 13-1 lead.

DODGERS 4, GIANTS 3

Russell Martin scored the go-ahead run on Mike Stanton's wild pitch in the ninth inning after pinch-hitter Olmedo Saenz singled in the tying run as the Los Angeles beat host San Francisco to tie San Diego for the NL West lead. Los Angeles and San Diego also share the wild-card lead, two games ahead of Philadelphia, and each team would clinch a playoff berth with one more win or a Phillies loss.

DIAMONDBACKS 3, PADRES 1

Livan Hernandez (13-13) took a two-hit shutout — and a 2-0 lead — into the seventh before pinch-hitter Ryan Klesko singled in a run, and Eric Byrnes hit his team-leading 26th homer as host Arizona defeated San Diego.

CARDINALS 10, BREWERS 5

Jeff Weaver (5-4) allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings, and Albert Pujols and Preston Wilson homered as host St. Louis beat Milwaukee. St. Louis increased its lead in the NL Central to 1 1/2 games over Houston, and cut its magic number to two for clinching its third straight NL Central title.

BRAVES 4, ASTROS 1

Roger Clemens (7-6) allowed one earned run in six innings and lost in what might have been the final start of his career, and host Atlanta ended Houston's nine-game winning streak. With the score 0-0 in the sixth, first baseman Lance Berkman misplayed Chipper Jones' grounder as Atlanta's first run scored in a two-run inning. Edgar Renteria and Jones added consecutive homers in the eighth.

ROCKIES 5, CUBS 2

Josh Fogg (11-9) allowed two runs in seven innings, and Colorado scored three runs in the sixth without a hit to beat host Chicago. Colorado used an error, hit batsman, broken-bat infield out and three walks to break a 1-1 tie in the sixth. The first run scored on first baseman John Mabry's error, the others when Troy Tulowitzki with a pitch with the bases loaded and on Chris Iannetta's RBI-roller to first.

METS 4, NATIONALS 3

Carlos Beltran and Paul Lo Duca each had two hits and an RBI, and Shawn Green drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth to lift New York past host Washington. Pedro Feliciano (7-2) pitched the seventh for the win, Guillermo Mota threw a perfect eighth, and Billy Wagner got the last three outs for his 40th save.

REDS 5, PIRATES 2

Aaron Harang pitched an eight-hitter for his league-leading sixth complete game as Cincinnati beat host Pittsburgh. Rich Aurilia homered and drove in three runs in support of Harang (16-11) who struck out nine and didn't walk a batter.