Dodgers top Marlins
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ reunion with Manny Ramirez lasted about 10 minutes. Then they went to the ballpark and won another game without him.
Juan Pierre, Ramirez’s replacement in left field, hit a tiebreaking two-run single in the seventh inning, and the Dodgers rallied from a three-run deficit to beat the slumping Florida Marlins 6-4 Friday night.
Los Angeles’ third consecutive victory came hours after Ramirez apologized to his teammates at the team hotel. It was his first time with the Dodgers since being suspended for 50 games for using a banned substance.
The Dodgers upped the best record in the majors to 25-12, and improved to 4-4 without Ramirez. The Marlins lost their fifth straight game and are 6-18 since starting the season 11-1.
With the score 3-3, James Loney led off the Dodgers’ seventh with a single. Kiko Calero came on and walked Matt Kemp and pinch-hitter Mark Loretta to load the bases, and Pierre singled.
Pierre also scored a run and finished 2 for 4 to hike his average to .391.
Casey Blake and pinch-hitter Xavier Paul hit back-to-back homers for Los Angeles in the sixth.
Cody Ross homered for Florida, and Hanley Ramirez extended his hitting streak to 12 games with an RBI double.