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Marlins lose SS Ramirez to disclocated shoulder

Jul 22, 2007 - 9:31 PM MIAMI (Ticker) -- Dan Uggla delivered a big blow. The Florida Marlins looked to have avoided a major blow.

Uggla's two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning overshadowed an injury to shortstop Hanley Ramirez in the Marlins' 9-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

The reigning National League Rookie of the Year, Ramirez partially dislocated his left shoulder on a swing in the first inning.

With an 0-1 count, Ramirez swung and missed at a breaking ball from Bronson Arroyo. He immediately grabbed for his shoulder, wincing in obvious pain while being helped to the dugout.

Losing Ramirez for an extended period of time would be a devastating blow to the Marlins (48-51), who entered the day 7 1/2 games behind the New York Mets in the National League East Division. Ramirez is batting a team-leading.336 with 16 homers, 46 RBI and 27 stolen bases.

However, Marlins mananager Fredi Gonzalez said Ramirez's injury doesn't appear to be serious.

"The trainer says we're going to go a day or two," Gonzalez said. "There's nothing alarming right now. Hopefully, he'll be ready Tuesday or Wednesday."

Taking some sting off Ramirez's injury, the Marlins scored three times in the seventh inning to snap a 2-2 tie.

Cody Ross drew a leadoff walk in the seventh and Uggla followed by depositing an 0-1 pitch from Arroyo (4-11) over the left field wall for his 19th homer and a 4-2 lead. Josh Willingham delivered a run-scoring single later in the frame.

The Marlins scored four more times in the eighth to break open the game. Uggla, who had four hits, stroke an RBI double in the uprising that also featured a two-run single by Miguel Cabrera and a run-scoring base hit from pinch hitter Jason Wood.

Uggla is 12-for-23 in five games since being benched for a contest. He said the rest was helpful.

"Yeah, I definitely think I needed that mental break," he said. "Sometimes you keep digging yourself deeper.You need to be able to take a step back and be able to relax and not press and think about it."

Willingham also had four hits for the Marlins, who scored 35 runs in taking three of four games from the Reds in the series.

"It just goes to show what our offense is capable of when everybody gets hot at once," said Marlins first baseman Mike Jacobs, who homered in the fifth.

Renyel Pinto (2-3) picked up the win, working a scoreless inning in relief of starter Rick Vanden Hurk.

Vanden Hurk went six innings, allowing two runs and and seven hits. He walked two and struck out three.

"They were sitting on a lot of fastballs," Vanden Hurk said. "That happened in the first inning, so I started mixing it up. As the game went on I started feeling better and getting my pitches where I wanted."

Jeff Keppinger, who had four hits, belted a two-run homer in the first, giving Cincinnati a 2-0 lead.

"We're here to win. It's great to have a good day but I'll take 0-for-6 if we win the ballgame," Keppinger said.

Jacobs hit his seventh homer, a two-run shot off Arroyo in the fifth, to tie the game at 2-2.

Arroyo departed after allowing four runs and eight hits in six-plus innings. The righthander walked four and struck out six.

Adam Dunn contributed an RBI double in the ninth for the Reds, who completed a 5-6 road trip.

"I've never seen so many missed opportunities in the first four innings," Reds manager Pete Mackanin said. "We had their pitcher on the ropes and just couldn't get it done. We had plenty of chances."