It’s Another Late Win for the Marlins

The Florida Marlins overcame an injury to Brad Penny and an eighth-inning deficit to build on their lead in the wild-card race.

Juan Pierre singled home the winning run with one out in the ninth inning Friday night, leading the Marlins over the Atlanta Braves, 5-4, at Miami.

The Marlins, who increased their wild-card lead to 1 1/2 games over Philadelphia, won in their final at-bat for the 18th time. They’ve won 12 of their last 14 games to climb a season-best 17 games above .500.

Penny gave up three runs before departing in the first inning with a hyperextended pitching elbow.

With their 82nd victory, the Marlins are assured of the second winning season in the 11-year history of the franchise. The only other time they finished above .500 was in 1997, when they won the World Series.

Alex Gonzalez reached leading off the ninth when a pitch from Ray King (3-3) nicked his left elbow. Braden Looper (6-3) sacrificed, and Pierre singled into the right-field corner.

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Pittsburgh 8, Philadelphia 4 -- Reggie Sanders hit a three-run homer at Pittsburgh to help the Pirates prevent the Phillies from keeping pace with the Marlins in the wild-card race. It was their third loss in five games.

Jose Hernandez, hitless in 26 at-bats in September, had a two-run, pinch-hit single, and Abraham Nunez homered to support Kip Wells’ fourth straight strong start.

Jim Thome became only the fifth player in Phillies’ history and the first since Mike Schmidt in 1983 to hit 40 homers in a season.

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Chicago 7, Cincinnati 6 -- Pinch-hitter Tom Goodwin delivered a two-run, bases-loaded single in the seventh inning at Wrigley Field as the Cubs rallied after blowing a big lead.

Chicago, one game behind first-place Houston in the Central Division, squandered a 5-1 lead when the Reds scored five times in the seventh against Mark Guthrie and Antonio Alfonseca (2-1).

Scott Randall (2-2) walked Randall Simon and gave up an infield hit to Aramis Ramirez. Alex Gonzalez then singled to left, but Simon was held at third. John Riedling relieved, and Goodwin hit a 1-2 pitch up the middle that went off second baseman D’Angelo Jimenez’s glove.

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Houston 14, St. Louis 5 -- Pitcher Wade Miller had two doubles and drove in four runs as the Astros routed the Cardinals at Houston.

The Astros roughed up Woody Williams (15-9) and finished with 19 hits, remaining a game ahead of the Cubs in the Central Division. St. Louis dropped 3 1/2 off the pace.

Miller (13-12) gave up two runs and two hits in six innings.

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San Francisco 8, Milwaukee 2 -- At San Francisco, Jason Schmidt (15-5) struck out 12 and gave up one run and six hits in 7 2/3 innings to help the Giants reduce their magic number for winning the West Division to six. Any combination of wins and Dodger losses that equal six will do it.

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Montreal 7, New York 4 -- Michael Barrett hit a two-run homer in his first game in nearly seven weeks, and Vladimir Guerrero had a three-run double to lead the Expos, who won their 10th in a row at Olympic Stadium.

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Colorado 8, Arizona 2 -- At Phoenix, Preston Wilson hit two homers and drove in five runs, increasing his major league-leading RBI total to 134. The Diamondbacks dropped 7 1/2 games behind the Marlins in the wild-card race.