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Morneau seriously injured as Marlins top Twins

Jun 23, 2007 - 4:05 AM MIAMI (Ticker) -- It took Hanley Ramirez only one-half inning to go from goat to hero.

Ramirez homered in the bottom of the eighth inning to propel the Marlins to a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Friday.

The Twins suffered a potentially bigger blow, when first baseman Justin Morneau was taken from the field on a stretcher complaining of chest pains after an eighth-inning collision with catcher Miguel Olivo.

The 26-year-old Morneau, who was being given oxygen and intravenous fluids with his wife at his side while he was carried off the field. He was taken to Memorial Hospital West for X-rays and a chest scan.

According to Twins' officials, Morneau had been coughing up blood in the trainer's room and complaining of chest pains.

Pinch hitter Jason Kubel had just driven in Morneau and had no idea he was injured.

"I was congratulating (Morneau). I wasn't too sure exactly what happened," Kubel said. "I thought it knocked the wind out of him, but he stayed down and I thought, 'Oh, something really did happen.' He's a big part of this team and we can't afford to lose him.

Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said it initially didn't appear to be serious.

"It wasn't a violent collision but obviously it hit just right in a bad spot, in an unprotected place," Gardenhire said. "The ball was at home plate. The catcher was reaching for the ball. They were all getting there about the same time. (The ball) went through (Olivo's) legs and (Morneau) had nowhere to go, so he had to try and go through him (Olivo)."

A bad throw by Ramirez at shortstop led to the injury and helped Minnesota pull even at 4-4 in the top half of the frame. However, Ramirez redeemed himself by belting a two-out, 409-foot home run to left-center off Juan Rincon (2-1).

The Twins held a 6-4 lead entering the eighth, but an RBI double by Kubel scored Morneau, who had walked against reliever Armando Benitez (2-3). Kubel then raced home on a throw by Ramirez, although Olivo was charged with the error for not fielding the throw.

"I had it but it hit the bottom (of my catcher's mitt) and bounced away," Olivo said. "I should have had it; it was a bang-bang play."

Ramirez said he may have rushed the throw.

"I knew I had a chance at him (Morneau) and maybe tried too hard to get it there," Ramirez said. "I just wanted to make a difference at the end."

Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez said Ramirez always brings that type of desire to the plate.

"(Hanley Ramirez) is a (heckuva) player. That's what he is," Gonzalez said. "At any given time, on any given pitch, it doesn't matter if he's 0-for-3 or 0-for-15, he's got a chance to make a difference in a ballgame."

Dan Uggla delivered twice in the clutch for the Marlins, the first coming via a two-run home run to right - his 14th of the season - in the third inning against Minnesota starter Boof Bonser to put Florida ahead, 3-2, and the second a sacrifice fly in the fifth for a 4-2 advantage.

Uggla's three RBI matched his entire total on the Marlins' six-game road trip.

Miguel Cabrera provided Florida's other run on a run-scoring double to right-center in the first inning to plate Alfredo Amezaga, who singled twice and scored twice.

Bonser allowed four runs and six hits in six innings.

Florida starter Scott Olsen allowed two runs and eight hits over six innings. Benitez allowed two in the eighth that cost Olsen a victory.

Olsen said the key was staying close early and working through the tough stretches.

Minnesota's struggles in the first inning this season were not evident against Olsen, as Morneau and Michael Cuddyer delivered back-to-back RBI hits. The Twins entered the game with only 28 runs in the first inning this season.

Torii Hunter had three hits for Minnesota.