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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
MIAMI (AP) -- A few weeks ago, a slumping Alex Gonzalez drew a
media crowd after being benched and nearly demoted.
On Tuesday night, he got a standing ovation after his second
two-run homer of the game secured the Florida Marlins' 8-2 victory
over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Ryan Dempster (8-4) allowed three hits and one run in seven innings to win his seventh game in his last 10 starts, but all he
wanted to talk about was his teammate's heroics.
"He can steal all the thunder from me he wants," Dempster said
of Gonzalez. "After all the work and all the pain he's endured he
can steal it. He deserves it."
Dempster, who struck out three and walked six, gave up only
Geoff Jenkins' 12th homer in the sixth inning. It was Jenkins'
first homer since May 3.
The Marlins jumped on Milwaukee starter Steve Woodard (1-6) for
three runs in the first inning. Luis Castillo led off with a single
and advanced to third on Mark Kotsay's single. Both scored ahead of
Cliff Floyd, who hit his 13th homer of the season.
"I've run out of things to say, it's been difficult," Brewers
manager Davey Lopes said of Woodard's continued struggles. "I
could see where he would be thinking, `Here we go again.' I don't
want him to think that."
Castillo, who was 3-for-5 with two runs scored, singled, stole
second and scored again in the second inning on Kotsay's two-out
single for a 4-0 lead. Kotsay was 3-for-5.
Gonzalez, who entered the game batting .167 with one homer, hit
two-run homers in the third and eighth innings, the first
multihomer game of his career.
"Inside my body I was emotional," Gonzalez said of the
standing ovation. "It's been a long time I don't see that. The
fans have been waiting for me to wake up from a difficult slump."
Woodard, making his second start since being sent to the
bullpen, allowed six runs on nine hits in four innings.
"I'll sit down and talk to my coaches," Lopes said of
Woodard's diminishing chances of starting Sunday. "We'll make a
decision at the appropriate time. This was not a good outing, not
what we were looking for from him."
Luis Lopez added an RBI single in the ninth off reliever Joe Strong.
"I'm glad he did it here and not in Calgary," Marlins manager
John Boles said of Gonzalez's near demotion. "I'm glad I was here
in person to see it."
Gonzalez showed signs of breaking out of his season-long slump
last week with two doubles, a triple and a career-high five RBI
against the Phillies.
"He's got all kinds of talent," Boles said. "You saw it,
defensively and offensively. I guess we should keep him for a
while."
Game notes
After drawing 7,612 Monday, the Marlins had 7,743 fans
Tuesday. ... Three of the NL's league leaders in games played
started Tuesday. Milwaukee's Ron Belliard and Jeromy Burnitz, and
the Marlins' Preston Wilson have played in all of their teams' games this season. ... Castillo stole his 30th base in the second
inning, tying Colorado's Tom Goodwin for the major league lead. It was his 116th career steal, eclipsing the franchise mark of 115 set by Chuck Carr. ... Prior to Tuesday's game, Woodard was 3-0 with a
2.39 ERA against the Marlins in six appearances. ... Four of Floyd's 13 homers have come in the first inning. ... Milwaukee's Charlie Hayes struck out looking in the fourth, and after arguing from the dugout, was ejected by home plate umpire Tim Timmons. The ball appeared to be outside. Tyler Houston replaced Hayes, in an
0-for-20 slump, at first base. "I've never seen a guy thrown out
without cursing the umpire," Lopes said. "All he asked him was to
check the tape." ... Dempster has a 2.27 ERA in his last five
starts.
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