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Ruiz lifts Phillies past Marlins, 11-4

Sep 14, 2010 - 3:07 AM By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer

MIAMI(AP) -- With the postseason looming, the Philadelphia Phillies are starting to resemble the team that played in the past two World Series.

And just about everyone is getting in on the late-season production.

Carlos Ruiz matched a career-high with four RBIs, Joe Blanton allowed one run in six innings and the Phillies continued their September sizzle beating the Florida Marlins 11-4 on Monday night.

Ruiz, Jayson Werth, Chase Utley and Greg Dobbs all homered for the NL East-leading Phillies, who are 10-3 in September. The Phillies remained a game ahead of Atlanta, a 4-0 winner over Washington.

"Our guys stay very even-keeled," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "If you get to know them, we don't get real high, we don't get low. That's a good sign. That's the makeup of a good team."

Philadelphia's Ryan Howard reached the 100-RBI mark for the fifth straight season, while Werth and Utley each scored twice. Blanton (7-6) struck out eight and walked two, dropping his ERA to 5.00, the lowest it's been since May 8.

Dan Uggla hit his 30th home run for Florida, making him the first second baseman in major league history to reach that plateau four times. He hit 27 homers as a rookie, then has followed that with years of 31, 32, 31 and now 30.

"A lot of hard work getting to this point, just getting to the big leagues," said Uggla, who came to the Marlins through the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings and quickly became an All-Star. "I never take anything for granted."

Florida's Logan Morrison homered and reached base for the 33rd straight game, the third-longest streak in the majors this season.

Other than that and Uggla's piece of history, it was a bad day all around for Florida.

The Marlins started Monday by shutting down ace right-hander Josh Johnson for the remainder of the season because of a strained back muscle. The Phillies then simply overpowered Andrew Miller (1-2).

"A tough night for Miller and the whole team," Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "We're struggling to get people out."

For the second straight meeting between the teams, the Phillies ran out to a 10-0 lead.

Werth and Utley started the scoring with solo home runs, Ruiz added a two-run homer in the fourth inning, and then Philadelphia really began rolling.

Utley and Howard scored on the same play in the fifth, after Werth singled to left. Morrison didn't field the ball cleanly for an error, then made a second error when his errant throw rolled into the Phillies' dugout. Howard collected his 100th RBI on a single in the sixth, and Ruiz pushed the lead to 10-0 by drawing a bases-loaded walk.

Miller gave up nine hits and seven runs, five earned, in five innings.

"They certainly didn't miss any mistakes ... and I made too many of them," Miller said.

Those Marlins fans who remained into the late innings - and there weren't many, despite an announced crowd of 20,616 - were rewarded by seeing Uggla get his long-awaited 30th homer in the eighth, connecting off Philadelphia reliever David Herndon. It was Uggla's first home run in his last 53 at-bats.

"It's tough to play in this atmosphere sometimes," said Werth, after the Phillies won for the 15th time in their last 18 road games.

NOTES: Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins will likely be able to pinch-hit Tuesday if needed. Rollins has a strained right hamstring, and an MRI on Monday ruled out any serious issues. ... The Marlins will likely use several pitchers Wednesday, and haven't chosen a starter. "Bullpen day," Rodriguez said. Roy Halladay, who threw a perfect game at Florida earlier this season, is set to start for the Phillies. ... Miami-Dade County police officer Jody Wright threw out the ceremonial first ball. Wright was severely injured exactly three years earlier in a shootout that killed a fellow officer, and underwent more than 15 surgeries before returning to work for the first time Monday.