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Uggla helps Marlins win fourth straight, top Dodgers

Jul 13, 2008 - 6:46 AM By Jonathan Raber PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Big hits have a funny way of helping the healing process. Dan Uggla learned that on Saturday.

Uggla drove in the go-ahead run with a double in the 11th inning to lead the Florida Marlins to a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"It's tough watching from the bench when you want to be out there playing," said Uggla, who was making his third appearance since missing 11 games due to a sprained ankle. "At the same time, you still root for your teammates and pull for them. But to be out there doing it is a totally different thing."

After the previous 11 batters had been retired, the Marlins came up with timely back-to-back doubles. Josh Willingham opened the 11th by lacing a double down the third-base line off Ramon Troncoso (0-1), before Uggla followed with a hit to nearly the same area for the decisive run.

The All-Star second baseman easily made it into second on the play, but appeared to favoring the ankle while running.

"It felt about how it looked," Uggla said. "It's sore."

Two batters later, Cody Ross tacked on an insurance run with a sacrifice fly.

Doug Waechter (3-3) picked up the win by setting down the Dodgers in order in the 10th and Kevin Gregg was credited with his 20th save.

The Dodgers brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom half of the 11th, but couldn't deliver. Andruw Jones reached first on a swinging strikeout - his fifth of the game - before the ensuing three batters were retired.

"It's just something that wears on you," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said of his team's second extra-inning loss in three games. "The longer you go without winning a game like this, the tougher it becomes."

Florida starter Ricky Nolasco, who was looking for a career-high sixth straight win, surrendered two runs on five hits with six strikeouts and two walks in six innings.

Andre Ethier's home run to start the eighth evened the score at 3-3 after the Marlins had taken the lead with runs in consecutive innings.

Jorge Cantu hit his 18th home run of the year in the sixth, before Alfredo Amezaga blooped a single with two outs that made it 3-2 in the next frame.

"As a hitter, we're trying to get a base, get something going," Cantu said. "It was a great matchup, we just found a way to (get it done)."

Amezaga was in the lineup as a defensive replacement for shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who left the game after grounding out in the top of the second inning with a sore right shoulder.

Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda had a third straight solid performance since being activated off the disabled list on July 2. The 33-year-old rookie worked 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts.

"He pitched really good, we just didn't give him enough run support," Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp said.

The Dodgers loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning, but came away with just one run via Jeff Kent's groundout to even it at 1-1. The Marlins had taken the lead when Willingham drove in Cantu in the top half.

Kemp homered off Nolasco in the following inning to give the Dodgers the 2-1 lead.

Dodgers closer Takashi Saito exited with an injury in the ninth after retiring the first two batters on strikes. But after Wes Helms fouled off his fourth pitch of the at-bat, Saito could be seen favoring his throwing arm and had to be removed with tightness in his right elbow.

"We'll wait and see, and hopefully the news will be good," Torre said.