Zeile Again a Clutch Performer as Marlins Beat Mets in Ninth

Todd Zeile is finally making a contribution to his newest team.

Zeile got his second game-winning hit in six days, this one a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth on Sunday that gave the Florida Marlins a 5-4 victory over the New York Mets at Miami.

“I feel like I’m helping this team now,” said Zeile, whose single in the 17th inning beat Toronto last Monday. “I feel like I exist. For a while I didn’t feel like I was doing anything for this team.”

Zeile, who came to Florida in a seven-player trade with the Dodgers on May 15, is with his sixth team in the past four years.

“He’s a professional hitter,” Marlins Manager Jim Leyland said. “He’s smart and knew what we needed and he found the spot.”

Despite splitting the four-game series with the last-place Marlins, the Mets were buoyed by Hideo Nomo’s stellar outing.

Nomo gave up just four hits in six innings and left with a 4-0 lead, but the Mets bullpen couldn’t hold it. Nomo, who struck out seven and walked three, was seeking his first victory since being traded from the Dodgers to the Mets on June 4.

“If Nomo pitches like that he’ll be fine, we’ll be fine,” said Mets Manager Bobby Valentine.

Cliff Floyd’s two-run homer for Florida capped a four-run burst in the eighth that tied it at 4.

Atlanta 5, Montreal 1--Kevin Millwood pitched a four-hitter at Atlanta and Bobby Cox equaled Frank Selee as the winningest manager in Braves history.

Cox’s record during two stints as the Braves manager improved to 1,004-819. His overall mark is 1,359-1,111. That makes him the 22nd winningest manager in baseball history.

Philadelphia 4, Chicago 2--Carlton Loewer pitched a five-hitter to win an impressive major league debut at Philadelphia.

Loewer struck out eight, walked none and retired 14 consecutive batters during one stretch. The 24-year-old right-hander was 7-3 with a 2.87 ERA in 12 starts at Triple-A Scranton.

Houston 6, Cincinnati 3, (10)--The Astros scored two runs off Jeff Shaw to tie it in the ninth and three more off him in the 10th inning, rallying past the Reds at Cincinnati.

Shaw had not given up an earned run in his previous 18 appearances spanning 25 1/3 innings.

Pittsburgh 7, Milwaukee 2--Mark Smith, Aramis Ramirez and Kevin Young homered in the first three innings at Pittsburgh, as the Pirates finally mounted some offense against the Brewers.

The Pirates had scored only six runs in four consecutive losses to the Brewers until homering three times off Steve Woodard (3-5).

St. Louis 2, Arizona 0--Royce Clayton singled twice and scored after each hit, and Mark Petkovsek pitched five strong innings and drove in a run at Phoenix.