Marlins Defeat Astros : Baseball: Pitcher gets game-winning hit in 13th inning of 5-4 victory.

Pitcher Richie Lewis, batting for only the second time in his major league career, lined a two-out single to left in the 13th inning to give the Florida Marlins a 5-4 victory Thursday over the Houston Astros.

Walt Weiss walked against Doug Jones (4-10) to start the inning. After two forceouts, Orestes Destrade walked to bring Lewis to the plate.

Lewis connected on an 0-1 pitch for his first major league hit, driving in Rich Renteria. Lewis (6-1) got the victory by pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

By salvaging the final game of the three-game series, the Marlins avoided being swept at home for the first time. They snapped a four-game losing streak and ended Houston’s four-game winning streak. The Astros had won seven in a row against Florida.

Five Marlins relievers held Houston scoreless in the final 8 1/3 innings.

Marlin Manager Rene Lachemann made full use of his bench. Pitcher Chris Hammond, a .222 lifetime hitter, struck out as a pinch-hitter in the 10th inning, and catcher Benito Santiago entered the game in leftfield in the 12th.

Renteria entered the game in the fourth inning and knocked in three runs to help Florida rally from a 4-1 deficit. Renteria, batting .183 since the All-Star break, delivered a two-out, two-run double in the fifth, then tied the game with an RBI single in the seventh against Brian Williams.

Renteria replaced Gary Sheffield, who left the game after being hit by a pitch on the little finger of his left hand. X-rays were negative, and Sheffield’s status is day-to-day going into a three-game series against NL West leader San Francisco beginning Friday night.

Eddie Taubensee drove in two runs for Houston with his eighth homer and an RBI groundout.

The Astros stranded 16 runners and Florida left 17. The Astros left the bases loaded twice.

Marlin starter Ryan Bowen, facing his former team for the first time, allowed eight hits, five walks and four runs in 4 2/3 innings.