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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
MONTREAL (AP) -- The Florida Marlins finally had a bounce go
their way.
Vladimir Guerrero's error on Mark Kotsay's single to right
allowed the go-ahead run to score in the ninth inning as the
Marlins stopped a three-game losing streak with a 5-4 victory over
the Montreal Expos on Friday night.
"I guess the ball hit a seam, came up on him, and the rest is
history," Kotsay said.
With the game tied 4-4 after Guerrero scored the tying run in
the eighth, pinch-hitter Kevin Millar singled off reliever Steve
Kline (1-2) to lead off the ninth for Florida.
Luis Castillo, 3-for-5, hit into a force at second before Kotsay
singled to right and the ball got past Guerrero as he charged it.
"I didn't see it," Castillo said. "I was looking at the
third-base coach and he said, 'Go!'. I didn't look at the ball."
Guerrero's sixth error of the season allowed Castillo to score
his third run of the game and gave Florida a 5-4 lead.
"If he tries to play that ball closer to the wall, Luis is
going to score because he's one of the fastest guys in the
league," Kotsay said. "I think it just took a bad hop on him,
from what I saw on the replay. It must have hit a seam and come up
on him."
Armando Almanza (1-0) got one out in the eighth for the win.
Antonio Alfonseca pitched the ninth for his 23rd save in 26
opportunities.
The Expos fell to 4-6 on their 12-game homestand.
Trailing 4-2, Montreal scored two in the eighth on Chris
Widger's two-run infield single.
"This road trip started off on a rough note," Kotsay said,
referring not just to being swept in three by the New York Mets at
Shea Stadium. "We didn't get out charter flight out of Fort
Lauderdale after the game Sunday and we didn't get into New York
until three in the morning. It seemed to roll over there and
tonight you just felt like, 'Here we go again."'
Jose Vidro doubled to lead off the eighth to extend his hitting
streak to a career-best 13 games and chase Florida starter Chuck
Smith.
Reliever Braden Looper struck out Rondell White and got Guerrero
to hit a grounder to third baseman Mike Lowell, who bobbled the
ball as Guerrero beat the throw.
Vidro and Guerrero advanced on Looper's wild pitch and Stevens
walked to load the bases.
Widger followed with a chopper just out of the reach of Looper
and reached safely ahead of shortstop Andy Fox's throw to first, as
Vidro scored from third.
Guerrero, who never broke stride as he rounded third, raced home
and slid in safely just ahead of first baseman Derek Lee's relay
home to score the tying run.
Castillo hit a leadoff single off Javier Vazquez, who got the
next two outs before Preston Wilson connected for his 17th homer to
give the Marlins a 2-0 lead.
The Expos tied it 2-2 in the third on White's two-run single.
Castillo singled to lead off the fifth, stole second and scored
the go-ahead run on Kotsay's RBI double.
Smith, a 30-year-old right-hander acquired June 9 from Texas'
Triple-A affiliate in a three-way trade involving the Rangers and
the Chicago Cubs, scattered five hits in seven-plus innings. He
struck out five and walked two before leaving after allowing
Vidro's leadoff double in the eighth.
Vazquez, who allowed nine hits and three runs in seven innings,
ended the month with a 1-3 record in six June starts.
"Vazquez pitched well," Expos manager Felipe Alou said. "He
kept us in the game and threw the ball very well."
Florida's Andy Fox hit his second homer of the season off
reliever Anthony Telford with two outs in the eighth.
Game notes
Kotsay, 2-for-5, is hitting .514 (19-for-37) with nine RBI
in his last nine games. ... Just 8,047 attended the game. ...
Chicago received OF Brant Brown and Texas got 1B-OF Dave Martinez
in the three-way trade. ... Marlins SS Alex Gonzalez missed his
fourth straight start due to an injured right middle finger. ...
Cliff Floyd went 0-for-5 to finish June 29-for-99 (.293) with six
doubles, six homers and 21 RBIs. He also stole six bases and scored
18 runs in the month. ... Expos closer Ugueth Urbina will have his
injured right elbow examined by orthopedic specialist Dr. James
Andrews next weeks after another bone chip was found in the elbow
Thursday. Urbina, who had a bone chip surgically removed from the
elbow on May 17, will travel with the team to Atlanta on Sunday
following its series finale with Florida. ... The Expos are 26-17
at Olympic Stadium.
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