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Jacobs ends hitless streak, helps Marlins avoid sweep

Aug 10, 2007 - 4:21 AM PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Mike Jacobs can breathe a sigh of relief.

Jacobs snapped a franchise-record 0-for-33 drought with a single in the ninth inning that led to the go-ahead run as the Florida Marlins avoided a three-game sweep by posting a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday.

Josh Willingham homered and drove in two runs for Florida, which avoided being swept for the second time in three weeks.

"It was huge," Jacobs said of snapping his hitless streak. "I thought that was the big hit right there, and I can put away the razors for one night."

With the game tied at 2-2 in the ninth, Jacobs led off the frame with single to center field off closer Brett Myers (2-4).

Miguel Olivo reached on a bunt single and, after a walk to Jeremy Hermida, pinch runner Cody Ross scored the go-ahead run on a forceout by Alfredo Amezega. Hanley Ramirez, who scored the game's first run, then drove in Olivo with a grounder for a 4-2 lead.

"I don't have any excuses," said Myers, who struck out the side in the ninth to record the save in Wednesday's 6-4 win. "I didn't make good pitches. Walking Hermida there probably summed up the way things were going."

Taylor Tankersley (5-1), who threw a scoreless eighth, benefited from the late rally to pick up the win. Kevin Gregg worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth to record his 24th save in 26 chances for Florida.

Tadahito Iguchi had two hits for Philadelphia (60-54), which trails the New York Mets (64-50) by four games in the National League East Division, missing an opportunity to gain ground as New York lost to Atlanta, 7-6, earlier Thursday.

Trailing 2-0, Philadelphia rallied in the sixth against Florida starter Sergio Mitre.

Mitre, who had retired 11 of the previous 12 hitters, allowed consecutive one-out singles by Iguchi and Pat Burrell. The righthander nearly escaped unscathed after getting Ryan Howard to ground out, but he walked Aaron Rowand before Greg Dobbs delivered a two-run, ground-rule double to tie the game.

Florida got on the board first as Ramirez broke up an early pitchers' duel by getting the first hit of the game in the fourth.

Kyle Kendrick and Mitre exchanged hitless frames during a steady downpour of rain before Ramirez helped the Marlins break through. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year laced a single to center field off rookie Kendrick and stole second.

After a single by Miguel Cabrera, Ramirez scored on a forceout by Willingham, as second baseman Iguchi's relay throw to first sailed wide of Howard.

With Florida ahead, 1-0, Willingham provided a bigger cushion by blasting an opposite-field solo homer to right in the sixth - his 17th blast of the season and ninth career shot against Philadelphia.

"(The homers) are a very good remedy," said Willingham, who has been out of the lineup since Saturday due to a bad bout of kidney stones.

Meanwhile, Kendrick - who has pitched six or more innings in nine of his 11 starts - allowed just two runs and six hits in seven frames while throwing 51 of 71 pitches for strikes.

"It's frustrating just to lose any time," Kendrick said. "I did the best I could, tried to keep us in the game. You've got to give credit to their guys that pitched well, too."

Mitre was nearly his equal, yielding two runs and five hits in six innings with five strikeouts.

"It was nice to get out of here with a win," Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "It was a tough day to play. It really was, but the groundskeepers did a (heck) of a job."