The Marlins would like to forget about last night's ninth inning collapse. Anibal Sanchez could be the pitcher Miami needs to give the team a much-needed bounce-back victory.
Logan Morrison dropped a fly ball with two outs in the ninth, allowing Justin Maxwell to cap the four-run frame with the go-ahead run in Houston's 5-4 triumph Saturday night. Carlos Lee finished 3-for-5 with two runs batted in, including the game-tying RBI single in the ninth.
With Miami on top 4-1, Heath Bell (0-1) entered looking for his first save as a Marlin. Bell allowed a one-out double to Jose Altuve, who quickly scored on a single from pinch-hitter Travis Buck.
After Jordan Schafer reached on catcher's interference, Bell induced a fly out from Jed Lowrie before surrendering consecutive RBI singles to J.D. Martinez and Lee to tie the game.
Randy Choate entered for Bell and seemed to have the threat quelled as Brian Bogusevic lifted a routine fly ball to left. Morrison bent his knees, but was unable to corral the fly ball as it popped out of his glove. That allowed pinch-runner Maxwell to score.
"It's my fault. It's nobody's fault but mine," Bell admitted after the game. "It's absolutely nobody's fault by mine. Don't blame anybody but me."
Brett Myers punched out two in a perfect bottom of the ninth to get his second save of the year.
The Astros saw starter Bud Norris allow four runs on six hits and a walk over six frames. Rhiner Cruz (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings of one-hit ball in relief to record his first major league win and snap Houston's three- game skid.
"It's my first win in the big leagues, and I'm so excited," remarked Cruz.
Sanchez is coming off a winning season debut on April 9 in Philadelphia in which he gave up two runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts. He is making his sixth career start and appearance against Houston, posting a 3-1 record and 2.37 ERA. In two previous career starts against Houston at home, Sanchez has gone 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA (14 innings), allowing a total of only five hits.
Countering on the mound for Houston will be J.A. Happ, who is coming off a season-opening win over Atlanta on Monday when he pitched six innings. He's 2-2 with a 4.79 ERA in eight games (5 starts) vs. the Marlins.
This will mark the final contest of the five-game suspension for Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen.
Miami went 6-1 against the Astros in 2011, including a four-game sweep in South Florida from July 7-10.
On this the 65th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier Major League Baseball is commemorating this special occasion by having all players and on-field personnel once again wear the Hall of Famer's No. 42 in addition to other pregame festivities.
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