MARLINS 4, PHILLIES 3
Florida Marlins' Hanley Ramirez locks up batting crown
The Marlins won their fourth consecutive game to clinch second place in the NL East as Hanley Ramirez secured the batting title.
BY CLARK SPENCER
cspencer@MiamiHerald.com
PHILADELPHIA -- PHILADELPHIA -- Hanley Ramirez clinched a batting title and bruised a knee. Jorge Cantu hit the century mark in RBI and sprained an ankle. Cody Ross is hurt, and so is Jeremy Hermida
The Marlins are limping to the finish line and many of the regulars will likely be on the bench for the regular-season finale Sunday. But they still continue to win.
On Saturday, the Marlins made it four in a row with a 4-3 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies and clinched second place in the National League East, setting off a round of applause in the clubhouse.
And a strange clubhouse scene it was, as veterans made the rookies dress up in outlandish costumes for the annual hazing ritual. Chris Coghlan had a pair of doubles and added extra glitter to his resume for NL Rookie of the Year.
But his teammates made him dress up as a cowgirl.
It was a day of milestones.
Fredi Gonzalez became the all-time winningest manager in Marlins history when he recorded his 242nd victory, moving him ahead of Jack McKeon.
Ramirez wrapped up the NL batting title -- the first ever by a Marlin -- by going 1 for 2 and raising his average to .342.
It was what Ramirez did on the base paths in the first inning, though, that earned the admiration of Cantu, who was bidding for 100 RBI when the day began. Ramirez had just doubled to drive in a run when he stole third base, putting himself in scoring position with one out.
But the shortstop slid so hard into third that he hurt his right knee.
When Cantu lofted a deep fly ball to right, Ramirez managed to trot home with the run that gave Cantu his 100.
``He told me he was going to get in scoring position for me, and he did it,'' Cantu said. ``He got hurt on the play, too. That tells you what kind of teammate he is. He sacrificed his body in order to score. Thanks to him and the guys who hit in front of me, all those guys made it possible.''
Cantu joined the list of injured Marlins in the sixth. After doubling to start the inning, he was doubled off second on Dan Uggla's pop fly and jammed his right ankle in the process. He left the game with a sprained ankle, though X-rays were negative.
Gonzalez said it is unlikely that either Cantu or Ramirez will play Sunday. With Ross and Hermida already sidelined with injuries, the Marlins could send out a closing day lineup consisting of only three players -- Uggla, Cameron Maybin, and Emilio Bonifacio -- who were in the starting lineup on Opening Day.
With second place locked up (the Marlins hold the tiebreaker edge over Atlanta due to their head-to-head advantage), Gonzalez can let the reserves play if he wishes as starting pitcher Josh Johnson goes for his 16th win.
Assuming he doesn't play, Ramirez will end the season with 197 hits, good for the batting title.
``I didn't do it myself,'' Ramirez said of the batting championship. ``Everyone in here gave me a little [hitting] tip.''
Ramirez struggled at the plate the final three weeks, but said he didn't grow concerned that the title would slip from his grasp, even though the Cardinals' Albert Pujols and Giants' Pablo Sandoval were gaining ground.
``I knew I was struggling, but I wasn't looking at the computer [to see how his competition was doing],'' Ramirez said. ``I knew I was going to get out of it [the slump].''
Anibal Sanchez pitched seven strong innings to get the win, holding one of the league's best lineups to a run on five hits. After Brian Sanchez gave up a two-run home run to Jayson Werth, which made it 4-3, Leo Nunez took over in the ninth and notched his 26th save.
The Marlins then retreated to the clubhouse and waited for the outcome of the Nationals/Braves game. When they heard that Washington reliever Logan Kensing, who began the season with the Marlins, got the save, one of the Marlins noted that ``he was pitching for his share, too.''
Kensing, like every player who spent time with the Marlins this season, will receive a portion of the second-place proceeds -- a consolation prize if you will. But the Marlins were mostly interested in the costumes being worn by their young teammates, laughing as Sean West tried on a risqué biker's outfit that included a leather chaps and hat.
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