Reds 11, Braves 2
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CINCINNATI -- Derek Lowe had trouble finding the words for what had just happened.
Cruising along with a 2-1 lead, it all came apart for Lowe and the Atlanta Braves. Edgar Renteria replaced injured rookie shortstop Zack Cozart and drove in three runs Saturday, rallying the Cincinnati Reds to an 11-2 victory.
A close game turned into a blowout in very few at-bats.
"We were just head-scratching, how that game got turned around," Lowe said.
It went bad all at once.
MLB
Cozart hyperextended his left elbow while trying to make a tag in the fourth inning, getting Renteria off the bench. His two-run double off Lowe (6-8) started a three-run rally in the sixth inning that put the Reds ahead.
Brandon Phillips had a pair of run-scoring doubles, and Todd Frazier doubled with the bases loaded as Cincinnati pulled away.
Homer Bailey (5-4) threw 53 pitches in the first two innings, but made it through six on a 92-degree afternoon. Lowe's bases-loaded double drove in a pair in the second.
It was Cincinnati's highest-scoring game since an 11-2 win over Pittsburgh on April 16. The Reds scored seven runs in the seventh, matching their season high. It was the most runs off Atlanta's staff in an inning this season.
"In the major leagues, it happens that quickly," manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
The Reds remain stuck in their win-one, lose-one pattern. They haven't won consecutive games since June 14-15.
Lowe took a 2-1 lead into the sixth but couldn't get another out. Jay Bruce, out of the lineup with an inner-ear problem, had a pinch-hit double, starting Cincinnati's comeback. The Reds cobbled together five consecutive hits for a 4-2 lead, knocking Lowe from the game.
Marlins 8, Mets 5
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MIAMI -- With one swing, Gaby Sanchez gave the Florida Marlins something they hadn't had since their homestand began Tuesday: a lead.
Sanchez homered to cap a comeback, then hit a second home run an inning later to help Florida break a four-game losing streak by beating the New York Mets 8-5 Saturday night.
Sanchez's 15th homer in the sixth inning put the Marlins ahead for the first time in five games.
"We've been struggling," he said. "To finally be able to go out there and put some stuff together is great."
Sanchez hit another homer in the seventh and has three in the past two games. Logan Morrison added his 14th home run for Florida.
"It's instant offense for sure," Morrison said.
The Marlins trailed 2-0 when Emilio Bonifacio started their comeback with an infield single in the sixth. That extended his career-best hitting streak to 22 games, the longest active streak in the majors.
Bonifacio added a second infield hit, scored twice, robbed Angel Pagan of a hit with a nifty play at third base and tied a career high with his 21st stolen base.
"He has been fabulous the last month or so," manager Jack McKeon said.
Dodgers 7, Nationals 6
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LOS ANGELES -- Rafael Furcal hit an RBI double with one out in the ninth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied from an early four-run deficit to beat the Washington Nationals 7-6 on Saturday night.
Rod Barajas led off the ninth with a single against Ryan Mattheus (2-2) and was forced at second when catcher Wilson Ramos jumped on Trent Oeltjen's attempted sacrifice bunt and made a one-hop throw that shortstop Ian Desmond dug out of the dirt with his foot on the bag. But Jamey Carroll singled and Furcal drove a 2-0 to the gap in left-center to bring home Oeltjen.
Dodgers rookie closer Javy Guerra (2-0) pitched one inning for the victory, helping send the Nationals to their seventh straight loss in one-run decisions.
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