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Morrison's mistake costs Miami in ninth-inning collapse vs. Astros

Apr 15, 2012 - 4:07 AM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Logan Morrison dropped a fly ball with two outs in the ninth, allowing Justin Maxwell to cap the four-run frame with the go- ahead run in Houston's 5-4 triumph over the Miami Marlins.

Carlos Lee finished 3-for-5 with two runs batted in, including the game-tying RBI single in the ninth.

With Miami on top 4-1, Heath Bell (0-1) entered looking for his first save as a Marlin. Bell allowed a one-out double to Jose Altuve, who quickly scored on a single from pinch-hitter Travis Buck.

After Jordan Schafer reached on catcher's interference, Bell induced a fly out from Jed Lowrie before surrendering consecutive RBI singles to J.D. Martinez and Lee to tie the game.

Randy Choate entered for Bell and seemed to have the threat quelled as Brian Bogusevic lifted a routine fly ball to left. Morrison bent his knees, but was unable to corral the fly ball as it popped out of his glove. That allowed pinch-runner Maxwell to score.

"It's my fault. It's nobody's fault but mine," Bell admitted after the game. "It's absolutely nobody's fault by mine. Don't blame anybody but me."

Brett Myers punched out two in a perfect bottom of the ninth to get his second save of the year.

The Astros saw starter Bud Norris allow four runs on six hits and a walk over six frames. Rhiner Cruz (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings of one-hit ball in relief to record his first major league win and snap Houston's three- game skid.

"It's my first win in the big leagues, and I'm so excited," remarked Cruz.

Hanley Ramirez had three hits, Morrison knocked in two runs and Emilio Bonifacio scored twice for Miami. Carlos Zambrano went six innings in the start, yielding just one run on four hits while walking six as the Marlins fell for the third time in four games.

Zambrano issued a four-pitch walk to Schafer to start the game and later walked Martinez before Lee deposited an RBI single into left field to give the Astros the lead.

Miami answered in the bottom half when Bonifacio slapped a one-out single into center field, swiped second two batters later, and scored on a single through the left side of the infield from Morrison.

The Marlins struck for three in the third as Jose Reyes flared a leadoff double down the left-field line. Bonifacio followed with a sacrifice bunt, but Norris was unable to get Reyes at third, putting runners on the corners with no outs.

Ramirez quickly plated Reyes, driving a fastball into center field for a 2-1 Marlins lead. Morrison then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Bonifacio and moving Ramirez, who stole second two pitches earlier, over to third.

Gaby Sanchez capped the scoring in the third as his single to center field scored Ramirez.

The two teams combined for just four hits over the next five innings before the Marlins' meltdown in the top of the ninth.

Game Notes

The Marlins took six of the seven meetings last season...Anibal Sanchez will square off with J.A. Happ in the finale of this three-game series on Sunday...The Marlins went 3-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left three men on base while the Astros finished 5-for-12 with RISP and left 10 men stranded.