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Costly wild pitch lifts Seattle over Florida in extras

Jun 27, 2011 - 7:17 AM Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - The Florida Marlins are finding new ways to lose games, this time even while trying to intentionally walk a batter.

Dustin Ackley recorded his first major league double in the top of the 10th inning and scored the go-ahead run on Steve Cishek's wild pitch in Seattle's 2-1 victory in the rubber match of this three-game series.

With a 3-22 mark this month, the Marlins have certainly fallen on difficult times. Last Sunday, Edwin Rodriguez announced his resignation. A week later, 80-year-old manager Jack McKeon witnessed probably one of the worst ways a team could falter.

Ackley, who went 3-for-5, sliced a hit to the left field corner against Randy Choate (0-1) to lead off the 10th. Cishek retired Miguel Olivo on a fly ball to left with Ackley hustling to third. The Marlins then chose to intentionally walk Carlos Peguero, but the third pitch sailed past John Buck, who recovered and made an underhanded scoop to the plate. The ball seemed to arrive in time to get Ackley, but it short-hopped over Cishek's glove and between his legs.

"I threw the first two fine, I don't know what happened that last one," Cishek said. "My head was clear, just throwing it through the chest (of the catcher) and it just took off on me. It's just really, really unfortunate. It has happened to me once before, but that was all in the past, (I) was completely over that. All I got to do is hit him in the chest and somehow it got away from me, really tough to lose that way."

Ackley noticed right away that Cishek was off the mark on some earlier pitches.

"After I saw him throw a couple pitches, I was like, 'man, he's throwing a couple wide,' and I thought maybe for a guy throwing from that angle it might be easy for one to get away from him," Ackley said. "So I was pretty ready and when I saw it go by I just told myself, run as hard as you can and hopefully I can get there."

Brandon League worked around a one-out single to Buck in the bottom of the 10th. Omar Infante, who had the tying hit in the eighth inning, flied out to end the game, leaving a runner in scoring position. League picked up his 21st save.

It seemed a fitting way to end this unique series. With the popular rock band U2 taking over Sun Life Stadium back in Florida, the Marlins played as the home team in Seattle. The announced crowd of 10,925 for the Sunday night game was the smallest in the history of Safeco Field.

Seattle starter Doug Fister, who hasn't won since May 30, didn't get a decision despite allowing a run over eight innings for a second straight start. David Pauley (5-1) retired the side in order in the ninth for the victory.

Seattle pitchers entered the game 4-for-22 at the plate this season, but Fister doubled to center with one out in the fifth. Ichiro Suzuki singled, and then Brendan Ryan grounded a base hit into right field for the game's first run. After placing runners at the corners, Justin Smoak grounded out to complete the inning.

Fister was cruising along into the eighth, fanning pinch-hitter Logan Morrison to start the inning. Jose Lopez, another pinch-hitter, singled to left and moved up a base on Emilio Bonifacio's sacrifice bunt. Third baseman Adam Kennedy bare-handed the ball and his off-balance throw barely got Bonifacio at first. McKeon walked onto the field to argue the call, but shortly after Florida tied the game.

Infante fouled off eight straight offerings from Fister before ending a 12- pitch at-bat with a line drive double down the left field line to plate Lopez. Gaby Sanchez was then pegged with a pitch, but Hanley Ramirez grounded into an inning-ending force play at second.

Seattle left two more men on base in the ninth and finished 2-for-12 with men in scoring position and 13 left on base.

Game Notes

This was the first Sunday night game at Safeco Field since 2004...Marlins starter Anibal Sanchez, who has not taken a loss since his second start of the season, back on April 10 at Houston, allowed six hits and fanned six batters over six innings...Fister was lifted after throwing 110 pitches. He gave up eight hits and had three strikeouts.