Aug 20, 2009 9:50 am US/Eastern
Marlins Continue Hitting Streak In Astros Victory
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
The Florida Marlins continued their record hitting streak on Wednesday night. For the 15th straight game, the Marlins had at least 10 hits in a game. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, which tracks sporting history, the Marlins current streak matches the same streak the St. Louis Browns had in 1937. The Marlins also stayed right in the middle of the wild card hunt with the 6-3 victory over the Astros in Miami.
But Florida committed three errors and stranded 16 runners, both season highs. Humberto Quintero hit a solo homer, and Lance Berkman, Jeff Keppinger and Miguel Tejada drove in runs for the Astros, who won for the third time in nine games. Jose Valverde worked around a bases-loaded jam in the ninth for his 17th save in 21 chances.
The Marlins took a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Yorman Bazardo.
Chris Coghlan singled, went to second when Hanley Ramirez walked and scored on Jorge Cantu's single. Dan Uggla drove in Ramirez with a single up the middle. Ramirez has scored a run in eight straight games, two shy of the franchise record.
Bourn led off the Houston first with a bunt single off Sean West (4-5). He stole second on West's first pitch to Keppinger and took third when catcher John Baker's errant throw skipped into center field. Bourn scored when Keppinger's sharp grounder rolled between Cantu's legs at third and he was charged with an error.
Keppinger scored on Berkman's double. Tejada then snapped out of an 0-for-19 drought with an RBI double to the left-field corner. Quintero made it 4-2 in the fourth when he homered to left center, his second of the season.
Tim Byrdak relieved Bazardo in the fifth and walked Jeremy Hermida to load the bases with two outs. Gaby Sanchez pinch-hit for West, Sammy Gervacio (1-0) relieved and struck out Sanchez.
Bourn led off the fifth with a single off Brian Sanches. He stole second and raced to third on another bad throw by Baker, Florida's third error. Jeff Fulchino started the sixth for Houston and Coghlan led off with a triple to the right-field corner. Ross Gload doubled to left to score Coghlan.
Pinch-hitter Emilio Bonifacio beat out a bunt with two outs in the seventh for Florida's 10th hit. The Marlins are the fifth team in history to get at least 10 hits for 15 consecutive games, according to Elias. The record is 18 straight games, set by the Browns in 1922 and matched by the Cleveland Indians in 1925.
Jason Michaels led off the Houston seventh with a double off Renyel Pinto. Bourn tripled off the left-field scoreboard, then scored on Keppinger's broken-bat single for a 6-3 lead. Ramirez extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a two-out single off LaTroy Hawkins in the eighth.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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