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Marlins Snap Pirates' 10-Game Win Streak

Posted on: Wednesday, 7 July 2004, 06:00 CDT

MIAMI - The Pittsburgh Pirates' 10-game winning streak ended, with Alex Gonzalez hitting a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the seventh inning Tuesday night that led the Florida Marlins to a 6-3 victory.

Pittsburgh's winning streak was its longest since the Pirates won 11 in a row from Sept. 12-22, 1996.

NL Rookie of the Year Dontrelle Willis remained winless in four starts since June 13 despite allowing just one run and five hits in six innings.

He left with a 2-1 lead, but Jack Wilson hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh off Josias Manzanillo and pinch-hitter Rob Mackowiak had an RBI single of the first pitch after Matt Perisho relieved with two outs.

Trailing 3-2, Florida rallied in the seventh against Mark Corey (0-2), who walked Hee Seop Choi leading off and allowed Miguel Cabrera's tying double to right-center.

Cabrera was thrown out at third, but Corey walked Mike Lowell and Abraham Nunez. Salomon Torres came in and retired Luis Castillo for the second out of the inning, then allowed Gonzalez's homer on an 0-2 pitch.

Nate Bump (2-3) pitched 1 1-3 hitless innings, and Armando Benitez pitched a perfect ninth for his 28th save in 30 chances.

The defending World Series champions won for just the second time in seven games and avoided dropping to .500.

Josh Fogg started on three days' rest for the Pirates and allowed two runs and eight hits in five innings.

Craig Wilson put the Pirates ahead 1-0 in the fourth with his 17th homer, but Miguel Cabrera had a two-run single in the fifth. That followed a single by Choi, which stopped Florida's skid with runners in scoring position at 0-for-30.

Notes:@ Wilson went 2-for-4 and leads the NL with 117 hits. ... The Marlins, outhit 11-9, have not reached double digits in hits in five straight games. ... The Pirates have homered in their last six games, hitting a total of nine. ... With his 425th walk, Castillo became the Marlins' career leader, passing Gary Sheffield. ... Marlins rookie Josh Willingham made his debut after being called up from Double-A Carolina. Willingham started in left field and went 0-for-3.

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