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Dobbs lifts Marlins over Astros

Apr 10, 2011 - 5:08 AM Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Greg Dobbs was a triple short of a cycle and batted in three runs as the Florida Marlins came from behind to win, 7-5, against the Houston Astros in a game that saw 11 doubles.

Omar Infante and Logan Morrison each had two hits for Florida, which has taken the first two of the three-game set. Starting pitcher Javier Vazquez (1-1) got the win in six innings, allowing four runs on eight hits.

Hunter Pence had two hits and two RBI for the Astros, who fell to 1-7 on the young season.

Fernando Abad (1-1) was tagged with the loss. He didn't last an entire inning, allowing two runs on three hits during the seventh.

The Marlins scored three runs at the top of the sixth to tie the game, 4-4. Mike Stanton's long double to center field scored Morrison, who reached on a single. Two batters later, Dobbs launched two-run shot into the right field seats.

"I just want to focus on what I'm going to do from this day forward to help the club win," Dobbs said.

They took the lead during their next at-bat with three straight doubles and never looked back. Wes Helms hit a pinch-hit double and scored on Chris Coghlan's two-bagger that landed in the right field corner. Infante's double to center field then plated Coghlan for a 6-4 lead.

Dobbs added a double in the eighth to score Gaby Sanchez, and the Astros put up a run during their turn at the plate. Carlos Lee led off with a double and Brett Wallace's base hit to right plated Lee to make up the final score.

Leo Nunez came in ninth to record his third save of the year, allowing just one hit.

"Anytime you have the lead late in the game you want to win," Houston manager Brad Mills said. "The guys kept batting all the way to the end."

Houston took the early lead with their first turn at the plate from back-to- back doubles. With Angel Sanchez at second, Pence bombed a long shot to the bottom of the right-center fence that plated the runner.

The Marlins, though, loaded the bases with no outs during the top of the second after consecutive walks by Stanton and Gaby Sanchez. Then Dobbs singled to fill the bases. However, starting pitcher Bud Norris got out of the inning, limiting the damage to just one run when Donnie Murphy's groundout plated Stanton to tie the game.

During the home team's turn to bat in the second, Norris sliced a double down the left field line to score Bill Hall, who also got on base with a double. Michael Bourn then walked to put runners on first and second before Angel Sanchez lined a shot to center, sending Norris home to go on top, 3-1.

Houston built onto its lead in the fifth with a run. Bourn crossed home from second on Pence's grounder that squeezed through the right side of the infield.

Game Notes

Florida split its six meetings with the Astros last season...Gaby Sanchez has reached base safely in all eight games for the Marlins...Norris went six innings, allowing four runs on five hits and six strikeouts for Houston.