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Marlins hold off Giants

May 26, 2012 - 4:43 AM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Josh Johnson is slowly but surely regaining his former dominant self, while Tim Lincecum has yet to find his Cy Young form.

The struggling Chris Coghlan drilled his first homer in 11 months, a three- run shot as part of a five-run sixth inning, and Giancarlo Stanton smacked his 10th homer of the month as the Miami Marlins hung on for a 7-6 win over the San Francisco Giants in the second installment of a four- game set.

Coghlan was hitting .104 prior to his first homer since last June 11.

"I don't even know what I'm hitting. I just know it's not good," Coghlan said. "You don't think about those things. Every time you step in the box you try to feel like you're hitting 1.000."

Johnson, who allowed two runs or fewer in his prior three starts, surrendered three runs on nine hits and a walk in five frames. He's lowered his ERA from 6.61 on May 4 to 4.87.

Stanton had two hits, two RBI and a pair of runs scored for Miami, which recorded its franchise-record 17th win in May.

Steve Chisek picked up his first save of the season after scuffling All- Star closer Heath Bell gave up two runs on three hits in one-third of an inning before being lifted.

Dan Jennings (1-0) picked up the win with a 1-2-3 sixth frame.

Lincecum (2-5) was charged with six runs on six hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings. His ERA has ballooned to 6.41 on the year.

"Aside of that (sixth inning), I think I pitched fine," Lincecum said.

The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner has surrendered four-or-more runs in seven of his 10 starts this season after allowing four-plus runs in just eight outings last year.

Big innings has been Lincecum's downfall. The Marlins' five-run sixth was the fourth time that Lincecum was tagged for four-or-more runs in a frame this season.

The Giants held a 3-1 edge after five frames before the Marlins exploded in the sixth.

Omar Infante started it with a double and scored two batters later on Stanton's single to center. Logan Morrison walked and Bryan Petersen singled to load the bases. John Buck lifted a sacrifice fly to center, plating Stanton.

Coghlan came up next and belted a three-run blast to right, chasing Lincecum out of the game and giving Miami a 6-3 advantage.

The Marlins tallied another run in the seventh inning on Hanley Ramirez's RBI single before Buster Posey's run-scoring groundout in the eighth made it a 7-4 game.

In the ninth, Chisek came on with runners on second and third and a run already in with one out after Bell struggled again. He has an 8.10 ERA on the year.

Brandon Crawford lifted a sacrifice fly to left to make it 7-6, but Chisek struck out Melky Cabrera looking to end the game.

Earlier, Joaquin Arias grounded into a double play in the second inning for the Giants' first run. Angel Pagan's RBI single in the third gave the visitors a 2-0 lead.

The Marlins got on the board in the fourth frame when Stanton pulverized a solo shot and became the first player to hit one into the sculpture in center, cutting the deficit to 2-1.

But the Giants countered in the fifth inning when Cabrera cracked a solo shot over the wall in right, giving San Francisco a 3-1 edge.

Game Notes

Stanton's home run in the fourth was the first longball Lincecum had allowed in 50 1/3 innings...The most homers recorded in May by a Marlins players is 12 by Dan Uggla in 2008...San Francisco was 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position while Miami was 4-for-10.