Marlins’ Slide Now a Century in the Making

For the first time ever, a team has gone from World Series champion to 100-game loser.

The Florida Marlins, last season’s champion, suffered their 100th loss Friday, losing to the Atlanta Braves, 8-2, who were led by Gerald Williams’ two home runs and five runs batted in.

The previous low for a defending Series champion was set by the 1991 Cincinnati Reds, who went 74-88. Florida could become the first team in the majors to lose 110 games since San Diego and Montreal did it in their first seasons of 1969.

“We’ll have our day one day,” Cliff Floyd said. “It’s not right now. We’re going to do better. We’ll come to spring training ready to go. We won’t have the chaos we[‘ve] had..”

Williams hit a grand slam in the third inning off Kirt Ojala (2-5) for a 4-0 lead and a solo homer in the fifth Eric Ludwick, the second multihomer game of his career.

“Whenever I’m called upon, I try to cash in on my limited opportunities,” Williams said. “I’m just trying to hit the ball hard from fair line to fair line.”

John Smoltz (15-3) became Atlanta’s fourth 15-game winner this season. He won for the 10th time in 11 decisions, giving up both runs and six hits in seven innings with eight strikeout and three walks.

Montreal 5, New York 1--Vladimir Guerrero and Fernando Seguignol hit consecutive home runs in the eighth inning at Montreal.

Carl Pavano (5-8) gave up one run and three hits in 6 1/3 innings to win for the first time in his last seven starts. Ugueth Urbina got the last four outs for his 30th save.

Guerrero led off the eighth with his 36th homer, tying Henry Rodriguez’s team record for homers in a season set in 1996. Seguignol followed with his first career homer to give Montreal a 5-1 lead.

The Mets lost for only the third time in their last nine games but remain tied for the wild-card lead with the Cubs.

“Every game that you lose is a missed opportunity,” said New York Manager Bobby Valentine. “And if we win the rest of them, then we know we’re at least going to tie. But we’re going to lose some games. That’s just the nature of this beast.”

Pittsburgh 6, Philadelphia 1--For the first time in seven games this season, the Pirates defeated the Phillies as Chris Peters became their first starter to win in over two weeks in game at Philadelphia.

Peters (8-9) gave up one run and five hits in seven innings, struck out six and walked three. The previous Pittsburgh starter to win was Sean Lawrence against Arizona on Aug. 25.

Carlton Loewer (6-7) gave up four runs and seven hits in five innings.

Cincinnati 13, Arizona 1--The Reds rediscovered life without Mark McGwire as Brook Fordyce and Sean Casey hit three-run homers in front of a small crowd at Cincinnati.

The Reds sold only 16,579 tickets for the opener of the weekend series, a major comedown from their two-game series against McGwire and the St. Louis Cardinals that drew crowds of 51,969 and 50,971.

Damian Jackson and Dmitri Young each had three hits as Cincinnati. Brett Tomko (12-11) got his first victory since Aug. 16 by holding the Diamondbacks to four hits.