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Streaking Marlins down Dodgers

Apr 27, 2011 - 4:08 AM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Mike Stanton drove in a pair of runs and Chris Volstad outpitched Clayton Kershaw, as the streaking Florida Marlins downed the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-2, in the middle contest of a three-game set at Sun Life Stadium.

Stanton finished 2-for-4, as did Hanley Ramirez, who scored half of the Marlins' runs. Gaby Sanchez clubbed a solo home run and Volstad (2-1) gave up two runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and one walk over seven solid frames for the Marlins, who have won three games in a row and seven of their last eight. Leo Nunez pitched the ninth for his seventh save.

That was more than enough to out-duel Kershaw (2-3), who gave up four runs on six hits with five strikeouts and two walks over just 5 1/3 innings.

"There were a couple of pitches I'd like to have back," Kershaw said.

James Loney finished 4-for-4 and Rod Barajas drove in a run for the Dodgers, who had won four of five before dropping the first two in this series.

Andre Ethier extended his hitting streak to 23 games, passing Nomar Garciaparra for the longest overall hitting streak as a Dodger and Joe Torre for the longest such streak in the month of April.

The Dodgers got to Volstad for a run in the top of the first. Aaron Miles started the game with a bloop single to left, moved to second on a passed ball and easily scored on Ethier's laser that one-hopped the right-field wall for a run-scoring double.

Florida tied the game in the home second as Sanchez cleared his hips on a belt-high fastball, launching it to the deepest part of the ballpark and over the high scoreboard in left-center field.

The visitors again went in front during the fourth frame, as Jerry Sands doubled to left, moved to third on a Loney single and scored on Barajas' sacrifice fly. Florida tied the game in the bottom of the inning as Ramirez came around to score on Loney's throwing error.

Kershaw lost his control in the bottom of the sixth, and Florida took advantage with a two-spot to regain the lead. Chris Coghlan singled to center and scampered to third on Ramirez's one-out single before Sanchez worked a walk to load the bases. Stanton, ahead in the count, took an aggressive rip at a thigh-high heater, scalding it into right-center field for a two-run single.

"I was just trying to put the ball in play," Stanton said. "When you put the ball in play anything can happen."

After another walk, Kershaw was replaced by Mike MacDougal, who escaped further damage by inducing a Greg Dobbs double play.

Game Notes

Florida has won six of the last eight meetings between the two clubs...Kershaw has not won a start since April 11 at San Francisco...Sanchez hit his third home run of the season.