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Rollins, Burrell help spoil Marlins' home opener

Apr 7, 2007 - 4:43 AM MIAMI (Ticker) -- The Florida Marlins were hoping to provide their fans with an enjoyable home opener, but Pat Burrell helped dampened their spirits.

Burrell opened up a tight contest with a home run and Jamie Moyer pitched well into the seventh inning as the Philadelphia Phillies posted an 8-2 victory, spoiling the Marlins' home opener.

The game was played in front of 40,397, the largest crowd to attend a game here since the 2005 home opener against Atlanta, which drew 57,405 fans.

"This will probably be the largest crowd we have all year," Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla said. "We wanted to play better for them."

Burrell blasted a breaking ball over the left field wall in the seventh inning off reliever Ricky Nolasco to increase Philadelphia's lead to 8-2.

"This is a helluva lineup to hit fifth," Burrell said. "You're going to get opportunities, as much as those guys (Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard) get on base. Regardless of if they pitch around somebody or not, you're going to get your chance. And that's what I'm here to do."

The shot by Burrell gave Philadelphia its first win of the season after being swept at home by the Atlanta Braves. It also came with the Marlins still hanging in the game.

"Burrell is capable of hitting 40 home runs," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "He's capable of hitting 30 every year. He can produce runs. ... He had a big home run tonight."

Moyer (1-0) yielded two runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings to improve to 4-0 in four career starts against the Marlins. He allowed a second-inning RBI triple by Miguel Olivo and a solo homer in the third by Hanley Ramirez.

"The best thing was Moyer," Manuel said. "When he got a lead, he held it. ... He slowed the game to his pace. He killed some time. It gets the hitter antsy if you don't step up and take some deep breaths. It's a feel for pitching and it's experience. It's patience."

The Marlins have a .250 batting average against Moyer, who now sports a 3.16 ERA vs. Florida.

"He's a smart pitcher," Uggla said. "You don't want to be hitting on anyone else's time, but he got us hitting on his time."

"I didn't think I threw the ball overly well," Moyer said. "I wasn't sharp. It wasn't a battle, but it was one of those nights where I was in between with everything."

Rollins connected for a two-run homer to right field in the fourth to give Philadelphia a 5-2 lead. His at-bat was made possible when Florida starter Sergio Mitre (0-1) made a wild throw on a comebacker by Carlos Ruiz with two outs that first baseman Mike Jacobs failed to handle.

The Phillies scored twice in the second inning on RBI doubles by Greg Dobbs and Ruiz. The inning started on a fielding error by Marlins third baseman Miguel Cabrera.

"We make a play here and there, and it's a different ballgame," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said of the errors.

Philadelphia had only scored a total of nine runs in its first three games but had no trouble crossing the plate against Florida.

"That's the kind of team we have," Burrell said. "We can definitely score some runs."

Mitre departed after five innings, allowing five runs - one earned - and six hits with a walk and strikeout.