Infante, Ramirez Smack Homers In New Park Win
MIAMI (AP) — Omar Infante and Hanley Ramirez hit the Miami Marlins' first homers in their new ballpark, activating the much-discussed home-run sculpture and helping to beat the Houston Astros 5-4 in 11 innings Sunday.
Ramirez tied the game in the eighth against Wilton Lopez with a two-run homer that cleared the 418-foot sign in center field, then singled home the winning run with one out in the 11th.
Miami went 2-3 without manager Ozzie Guillen. The Marlins are off Monday and he returns Tuesday from a five-game suspension imposed after he angered Cuban Americans in South Florida by praising Fidel Castro.
Slideshow: Marlins Ground Astros
John Buck singled to start the 11th against David Carpenter (0-1). Pinch runner Brett Hayes advanced on a sacrifice, Jose Reyes was intentionally walked and both runners advanced on a wild pitch.
Emilio Bonifacio was then intentionally walked to load the bases, and Ramirez drove a pitch over the head of right fielder Travis Buck for the victory.
The Marlins failed to sweep the three-game series only because they blew a three-run ninth-inning lead to lose Saturday.
Jose Altuve had two hits and two RBIs for Houston. The Astros went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position, stranded 13 and struck out 11 times. They had a runner at second with one out in the 10th, and loaded the bases with two out in the 11th, but failed to score both times against Chad Gaudin (1-0).
Announced attendance was 34,232, largest of the weekend in the Marlins' new home, although the actual turnout was several thousand less.
Miami's Anibal Sanchez allowed two earned runs in six innings. He struck out seven.
Houston's J.A. Happ allowed two runs in six innings, struck out eight and twice stranded a runner who reached third with one out. He also walked and scored the Astros' first run.
Leading off the 31st inning in the ballpark, Infante hit a milestone homer for the Marlins when he pulled a 1-0 pitch into the second row of the nightclub area beyond the left-field fence. The 73-foot-tall sculpture lit up and squirted water as the artwork's blue marlins rotated.
Infante celebrated the homer, his fourth this year, by popping his bubblegum as he rounded third base.
The ball carried well for Sanchez, too. He was shaken up when he fouled a pitch that bounced and hit him in the right temple. After being checked by the trainer, he lined a triple over the head of center fielder Jordan Schafer — his first extra-base hit in 207 career at-bats.
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