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Cabrera, Willingham power Marlins past Dodgers

Jul 8, 2007 - 6:12 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Sergio Mitre pitched seven solid innings and the Florida Marlins got all the runs they needed via the home run in the fourth inning to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4-1, on Saturday.

Mitre (3-4) gutted his way to his first win since May 20 for the Marlins, who have won three straight and four of five.

Miguel Cabrera got Florida started with a solo homer off Los Angeles starter Derek Lowe in the fourth. It was Cabrera's 18th blast of the season but just his first in since June 24 - an 11-game drought.

"Finally good to give (Mitre) early run support," Cabrera said. "It felt good to just help put runs on the board and pull out a win against a good team."

Cabrera will be Florida's lone representative in San Francisco on Tuesday for Major League Baseball's All-Star Game. The third baseman will back up New York's David Wright.

Josh Willingham's blast in the fourth provided the winning margin. After Lowe allowed a one-out single by Mike Jacobs, Willingham belted the first pitch he saw over the wall in left to push the advantage to 3-0.

"I got a good pitch to handle and hit it hard," Willingham said. "It's always good to put runs on the board and help our pitchers go out there and relax."

Mitre yielded single runs in the fourth and seventh but held firm despite allowing 12 runners to reach base in seven frames. The 26-year-old righthander scattered 11 hits - all singles - and issued one walk while striking out a pair.

"It feels good to get a win today," Mitre said. "I battled out there today and I wasn't on top of my game since I gave up 11 hits. Just wanted to pound the strike zone and try not to walk anyone."

Lowe (8-8) tossed 6 1/3 frames, surrendering five runs - four earned - and 10 hits while walking three and striking out six.

"It's just another loss for me," Lowe said. "I was fortunate to get through six innings tonight. I'm just happy to have a couple days off and get away from the game for four days."

Rookie James Loney went 4-for-4 and drove in a run for Los Angeles. The 23-year-old first baseman is now batting .397 (29-for-73) this season.

"It's weird because Delmon Young texted me before the game and said to (go) 4-for-4 today," Loney said. "Doesn't matter how many hits I get in a game because we didn't come out on top tonight, and that's the most important thing."

Loney's emergence has forced veteran Nomar Garciaparra to third base, where he has started the last nine games.

"He's done so much for our club since joining us," Little said. "James gave us another bat in our lineup, and I hope he can keep it up after the break."

Florida added a pair of runs in the seventh inning, when Dan Uggla singled to center to plate Hanley Ramirez. But Uggla was thrown out trying to score from first on Cabrera's single.

"I feel like I got my bat going good right now," Ramirez said. "We played a good game tonight, and I hope we can get another win tomorrow."

Cabrera eventually came around to score on an error by Loney.

"I just misplayed the ball, but I thought we had him on the pickoff if I just made the play," Loney said.

Ramirez tied a career high with four hits. It was the sixth time in his career he has accomplished the feat and fourth this season.

"Ramirez is an exciting player," Lowe said. "I got to watch him in Boston and I knew he was going to be good at this level."