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 Coming home Braves end long road trip with win over Marlins
Posted: Tuesday April 27, 1999 11:48 AM
MIAMI (AP) -- The Florida Marlins had a hard time getting Andruw Jones out, even when he was trapped between bases. Jones tripled, hit a two-run homer and stole home on a botched rundown Monday night, helping the Atlanta Braves beat the Marlins 5-3. "The guy has hurt us every way imaginable in this series," Florida manager John Boles said. "He's a special guy." Walt Weiss hit a tie-breaking RBI single in the ninth for the Braves, who won three of the four games in the series and finished 8-3 on a 15-day trip, their longest of the season. With the score 3-3, Javy Lopez singled to start the ninth against Antonio Alfonseca (0-3) and advanced on a sacrifice. Jones was intentionally walked by Matt Mantei, and Lopez scored when Weiss' grounder glanced off the glove of a diving Derrek Lee at first base. Atlanta then added another run. With runners at first and third, pitcher Rudy Seanez missed an attempted squeeze bunt, catching Jones off third. But he scored and the Braves were credited with a double steal when the Marlins bungled the rundown. "About 80 percent of the time the opposition is going to get you out," Jones said. "Fortunately they dropped the ball and I scored." Boles said Jones deserved credit for forcing a bad throw by third baseman Kevin Orie. "People say, 'You botched a rundown,' but fast runners can cause that stuff," Boles said. "You don't have anybody that can run and catch them." Seanez (1-0) pitched 1 1-3 innings to complete the five-hitter. Kevin Millwood allowed four hits in 7 1-3 innings and left with a 3-2 lead. The Braves happily headed home following a trip that included a snowout, a rainout and 11 games. The only longer trip by Atlanta was during the 1996 Olympics. "I'm ready to go home. I haven't worn clean clothes in about a week," Millwood said. "It was a great road trip," manager Bobby Cox said. "We played well in almost every game. If you told me before the trip that we would go 8-3, I would have taken it, and then we don't have had to go." In the final game of the trip, Atlanta had a tough time shaking the Marlins, who came from behind twice and tied the score 3-3 in the eighth with one hit and three walks. Bruce Aven singled to lead off the eighth and advanced on a sacrifice. Millwood walked Alex Gonzalez, and with two outs reliever Kevin McGlinchy walked pinch hitter Lee and Orie, forcing in a run. Todd Dunwoody hit an RBI triple in the fourth, then scored on Orie's single to give Florida a 2-1 lead. Atlanta went ahead in the seventh when Randall Simon doubled and Jones followed with his third homer. Jones also tripled leading off the third and scored on Otis Nixon's two-out single. Jones turned 22 Friday. "He's pretty much amazing," Millwood said. "He's the best center fielder in baseball, and as he learns more about hitting, he's going to get better every day." Notes: Braves third baseman Chipper Jones sat out for the first time this year after straining a muscle in his left thigh Sunday. He could miss a couple of games, Cox said. ... Lee, batting .191, was out of the starting lineup for the first time this year. ... Florida's Alex Fernandez, who has been on the disabled list since April 12 with an inflamed rotator cuff, will be limited to 75 pitches when he starts Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs. Fernandez, coming back from shoulder surgery in October 1997, is 1-1 with a 2.79 ERA in two starts. ... To make room on the roster for Fernandez, the Marlins optioned right-hander Rafael Medina to Class AAA Calgary. ... Millwood, an .073 career hitter coming into the game, singled in the fifth for his second hit this season.
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