It was a tape-measure homer off a pitch from San Francisco’s Tim Lincecum. The ball got closer and closer to the animated statue, and then, suddenly, popped it on the site, the first homer to hit the million dollar home run celebration machine.

The Giants could only watch as the animated sculpture sprung into motion.

“That thing is crazy,” left fielder Melky Cabrera said through an interpreter. “You never expect to see it, especially at a ballpark. It’s pretty sweet.”

The home run was the 10th this month for Stanton, and his 11th of the season. The estimated distance was 409 feet.

Stanton broke a section of the left-field scoreboard with a long home run Monday. He has five homers this month in the Marlins’ new ballpark, despite the vast dimensions in the outfield.

“He’s a good hitter,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “There’s not a park that’s going hold him, I don’t care what they say about this park.”

Coghlan, who has shuttled between the Marlins and the minors since winning the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2009, was batting .104 when he hit his first home run since last June 11.

San Francisco’s Melky Cabrera, who came into the game leading the majors with 67 hits, pulled his third homer of the season just inside the right field foul pole. He also tripled, but struck out against Steve Cishek with a runner at second to end the game.

Giancarlo Stanton became the first player to hit the Marlins’ home run sculpture when he connected against Lincecum (2-5).

The Giants’ right-hander gave up six runs in 5 2-3 innings, which hiked his ERA to 6.41. He’s 0-3 in his past five starts.

The Marlins improved to 17-7 this month, best in the majors, and broke the franchise record for victories in May.

Struggling Miami closer Heath Bell entered the game to start the ninth with a 7-4 lead but got only one out and blew a save for the fifth time in 12 chances. Cishek came on with runners at second and third and one out, and after Brandon Crawford hit a sacrifice fly to make it 7-6, Cabrera was called out on a 3-2 pitch.

Cishek earned his first save in three chances. Dan Jennings (1-0) pitched a perfect sixth for his first major league win hours after being recalled from Triple-A New Orleans.

The Giants outhit Miami 14-7 but went 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

Miami starter Josh Johnson gave up nine hits and three runs in five innings. He remained winless in six career starts against San Francisco.

The Giants’ Omar Infante went 0 for 4 with an RBI groundout on the anniversary of his season-ending leg injury suffered in a home-plate collision against the Marlins last year.

Lincecum took a 3-1 lead into the sixth but failed to make it through the inning. Omar Infante led off with a double and scored on a single by Stanton. After the Marlins loaded the bases, John Buck’s sacrifice fly tied the game.

Coghlan then pulled an 0-1 pitch over the fence, pounding his chest with his fist as the ball landed in the right field seats. That ended Lincecum’s night.

Despite his struggles, Lincecum hadn’t given up a homer in 50 1-3 innings until Stanton connected in the fourth inning. The ball landed in the base of the sculpture for the Marlins’ first run. Center fielder Angel Pagan ran out of room near the 418-foot sign and could only watch as the animated sculpture sprung into motion.

The home run was the 10th this month for Stanton, and his 11th of the season. It was the first of his career from the cleanup spot, where he began the season before being dropped in the order when he started slowly.

The Giants scored in the first when Pagan singled and later came home on a double play. They went up 2-0 in the second on singles by Gregor Blanco, Crawford and Pagan.

According to the Miami Herald, Emilio Bonifacio will have surgery on his injured thumb and miss the next 4-6 weeks of action. Bonifacio was originally placed on the 15-day disabled list, but will now be out until July.

The Marlins are losing outfielders at an alarming rate. Besides Bonifacio, the Marlins also placed outfielder Austin Kearns on the disabled list due to a strained hamstring.

Before the injury, Bonifacio was leading the majors in stolen bases with 20 out of 21 attempts, despite only hitting .268 on the season.

Vogelsong (3-2) allowed three runs in 6 1-3 innings, which hiked his ERA to 2.50. The Giants had 22 runs in his previous seven starts.

The Giants came into the game leading the majors in stranded runners, but went 7 for 17 with runners in scoring position. Their run total and 15 hits were both season highs. Angel Pagan had four RBIs, while Cabrera raised his average to .362.

Giancarlo Stanton drove in three runs and hit another tape-measure home run for the Marlins. They began the night with the best record in the majors since May 1, but lost their second in a row.

Anibal Sanchez (2-3) gave up five runs in 5 1-3 innings, his shortest and worst outing this year. He had allowed a total of three runs in his four previous starts against the Giants.

A long, humbling night for the Marlins included a botched rundown, a throwing error, two wild pitches, 11 men left on base and one pratfall. First baseman Logan Morrison ducked and landed with an awkward flop to avoid being hit in the head by a throw home from right fielder Stanton.

The bizarre moment left both players laughing.

The game was tied at 1 when the Giants wiggled out of a rundown and went on to score four runs in the sixth. Gregor Blanco tripled and was briefly hung up on a grounder back to Sanchez, but he scrambled safely back to third when catcher Brett Hayes held the ball too long.

After a walk loaded the bases, Pagan hit a two-run double, another run scored on a wild pitch and Brandon Belt blooped an RBI single over a drawn-in infield to put the Giants up 5-1 and end Sanchez’s night.

The Marlins sometimes celebrate big hits by making a “lo viste” sign — a sideways V over one eye — and a grinning Pagan borrowed the gesture after he singled home a run in the fourth inning. Houston pitcher Wilton Lopez mocked the gesture when his team played the Marlins earlier this season.

Consecutive two-run doubles by Brandon Crawford and Cabrera in the eighth put the Giants ahead 12-3.

Stanton became the first player to homer into the beer garden beyond the 427-foot sign in left-center field some 50 feet above the playing field. It was his 10th homer this season and gave Miami a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

On Monday, a grand slam by Stanton knocked out a cluster of scoreboard lights. He had a shot at his third grand slam of the season in the fifth but fouled out to end the inning.

San Francisco’s victory came at the start of a four-game series. Miami swept three games in San Francisco early this month.

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Even so, Troy Tulowitzki rated their 8-4 victory Wednesday over the Miami Marlins as significant.

“It’s just a big win for us,” he said. “It might sound stupid, but it was real big.”

Tulowitzki homered and drove in four runs to help Alex White earn his first victory this year, and the Rockies snapped a six-game losing streak.

White (1-3) had lost six consecutive starts since September. He gave up four runs in six innings.

The Rockies had lost 16 of 20 games in May. When they fell behind 3-0 in the second inning against Carlos Zambrano, they were on the verge of being swept for the second series in a row.

“If we go into an off day with two sweeps in a row, it’s tough to take,” Tulowitzki said. “Heads start to spin a little bit — ‘Jeez, this is going real bad.’ At least we look at our last game as a win. Is it where we want to be? No, but at least it’s a step in the right direction.”

The Rockies’ comeback came after they blew early leads of 4-0 and 3-0 in the first two games of the series.

“This game is crazy,” Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said. “I love baseball. Pretty nice, huh? We’re up by three with Carlos on the mound, I’ve got a smile on my face.”

The Rockies’ 3-4 hitters led the rally. Carlos Gonzalez had two hits and two RBIs. Tulowitzki doubled home a run in the fourth and hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the fifth off Zambrano (2-3).

Tulowitzki hiked his average to a still-modest .268.

“I told him the stranger that’s hitting behind me is starting to look like Troy Tulowitzki,” Gonzalez said. “That’s what everybody’s been waiting for. I’m not even worried about him because I know he’s going to get hot and going to take care of us.”

Jose Reyes had two RBI singles for the Marlins. They managed only one baserunner in the final 5 1-3 innings, and Rafael Betancourt pitched a perfect ninth.

“This is the first time in several days when I had the chance to use the bullpen the way I wanted to,” Rockies manager Jim Tracy said.

Zambrano allowed just five hits but seven runs in five innings. He walked three, and each led to a run.

“I didn’t have my best stuff,” he said. “The Rockies came in with a six-game losing streak. They were hungry today, and I was the bite.”

The result snapped a three-game winning streak for the Marlins, who began the night with the best record in the majors since May 1.

The Rockies trailed 4-3 before scoring four runs off Zambrano in the fifth. Ramon Hernandez led off with a walk, and consecutive singles by Marco Scutaro and Gonzalez scored the tying run.

Tulowitzki followed with his sixth homer for a 7-4 lead. With that one pitch, Zambrano gave up as many runs as he had allowed in his previous four starts combined.

Gonzalez hit a two-out RBI triple in the seventh.

“We’re going to score runs when those two guys in the middle of the order start putting things together,” Tracy said. “Then we have the opportunity of putting points on the board — some serious points on the board.”

Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton began the night with a career average of .349 against Colorado, but he went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. Hanley Ramirez went 0 for 2 with runners in scoring position and is batting .208 in those situations this year.

White gave up eight hits but only one walk. He improved his career road ERA to 6.80 in eight starts.

“I can’t beat myself,” he said. “I can’t put guys on base. That’s how I get in trouble. I had to trust my stuff and get it in the strike zone.”

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Nolasco (5-2) broke a tie in the third with a two-run double off Juan Nicasio (2-2) that put the Marlins ahead to stay. On his third try, the right-hander became the Marlins’ sole leader in career wins with a record of 69-53.

He had been tied with Dontrelle Willis for the most victories.

Nolasco gave up four runs in six innings against the Rockies (15-27), who have lost six straight and are off to their worst start since 1995.

The Marlins (24-19) tied the franchise record for victories in May. Their 16-5 record this month is the best in the majors, and they’re five games above .500 for the first time this season.

Miami doesn’t have pennant fever yet, however. The crowd of 22,242 was the smallest so far at the city’s new ballpark.

Left fielder Chris Coghlan preserved the Marlins’ one-run lead when he made a running, leaping catch to rob Marco Scutaro of a hit, ending the eighth inning and stranding a man at third.

Heath Bell gave up a leadoff double in the ninth, then retired Carlos Gonzalez, Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton for his seventh save in 11 chances.

On Monday, Miami trailed 4-0 in the first inning and won 6-4. A succession of bloopers and bleeders helped Colorado score three runs in the first against Nolasco, but Nicasio couldn’t hold the lead.

Nicasio gave up six runs, five earned, in five innings and remained winless in his past four starts. Errors by shortstop Tulowitzki and catcher Wilin Rosario led to a pair of unearned runs.

Hanley Ramirez had three of the Marlins’ 12 hits and drove in two runs. For the second night in a row, the Marlins won despite stranding 13 runners.

Michael Cuddyer went 3 for 3 with a walk for the Rockies, and Rosario drove in two runs. They went 4 for 18 with runners in scoring position.

Miami scored twice in the first. Bryan Petersen hit an RBI triple and came home on a single by Ramirez.

Giancarlo Stanton doubled home the tying run in the third. With two out, Nolasco lined a 3-2 pitch for his first extra-base hit this year.

Ramirez stole second in the fourth inning, continued to third when Rosario’s throw was wild, and scored an unearned run on a single by Coghlan.

Tulowitzki robbed Petersen of a hit in the fourth inning with 360-degree whirl and throw behind second base. But Tulowitzki made a wild throw that led to an unearned run in the sixth when Ramirez delivered an RBI single.

Helton singled home the Rockies’ first run. Cuddyer followed with a broken-bat RBI single, and Rosario added a sacrifice fly.

Gonzalez doubled with two out in the fifth when third baseman Ramirez failed to catch his blooper. Tulowitzki followed with an RBI single.

The Rockies scored twice in the eighth off Edward Mujica to make it 7-6. Rosario hit an RBI single, and an unearned run scored when catcher John Buck made an errant pickoff throw.

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In case you missed it, Stanton came up to bat for the Marlins with the bases loaded in the fourth inning. He was going against Jamie Moyer, who is old enough to be his father, of the Colorado Rockies. The duo went back and forth for seven pitches.

Then Moyer let a pitch hang over the plate and Stanton blasted the ball over the left field fence hitting the scoreboard before dropping down to the fans in left field. ESPN calculated the ball left Stanton’s bat going 122.4 miles per hour, the fastest ever tracked by the company’s home run tracker.

Sometimes words can describe a homer, but this one is best left to let the video speak.

• Click here to view the video of Stanton’s shot.

It wasn’t quite on par with this one, but it still lifted the Marlins to victory and gave the home crowd a memory they won’t forget.

Stanton has been on a tear since the calendar turned to May. He made a slight adjustment in his swing and has seen all of his batting stats explode. He’s currently hitting .277 with 9 home runs and 28 RBI’s. Stanton has an on base percentage of .348 and a slugging percentage of .520.

Stanton has also hit safely in eight of his last ten games while hitting better than .300 during that streak with 3 homers and 11 RBI’s.

Austin Kearns tied a career-best with four hits for the Marlins, whose 15-5 record in May leads the majors.

Buehrle (4-4) worked 7 2-3 innings, giving up four runs and four hits in the first and one more hit the rest of the way. Heath Bell pitched the ninth for his sixth save in 10 chances.

Moyer (2-4) allowed nine hits and six runs in 3 2-3 innings in his debut at Marlins Park, the 50th big-league stadium in which the 49-year-old has appeared during his career.

Troy Tulowitzki hit a two-run home run and Michael Cuddyer had a two-run double for the Rockies.

Stanton wasn’t even born when Moyer’s career began in 1986. His first game against him was one to remember.

Miami’s big fourth got going with one out, when Buehrle hit a soft double — the second of his career. He scored when Jose Reyes’ single was bobbled by center fielder Dexter Fowler. Moyer nearly escaped further trouble, but walked Hanley Ramirez on a full count with two out, then walked Kearns to load the bases.

That brought up Stanton, who watched Moyer’s 2-2 offering just miss — replays showed the inside pitch wasn’t out of the zone by much, if at all.

Moyer’s next pitch was 72 mph. It went out faster.

Stanton’s ninth home run of the season and fourth career grand slam went an estimated 438 feet down the left field line, the impact of its collision with the video board over the left-field concourse temporarily knocking out a portion of the digital display. The Marlins had a 6-4 lead, and the crowd roared for nearly a minute before Stanton acknowledged their desire for a curtain call.

“I looked it up and 1986 was his debut and I wasn’t even a thought at that moment,” Stanton said. “I was born three years later.”

Meanwhile, Buehrle was in a groove.

Buehrle got hit hard in the first, literally and figuratively. Jordan Pacheco lined a ball off Buehrle with one out, and scored along with Carlos Gonzalez two batters later when Cuddyer’s double beat Kearns to the left-field wall. Tulowitzki followed with a homer to left that put the Rockies up 4-0 before Moyer even saw the mound.

Buehrle didn’t give up another hit until Pacheco’s two-out single in the eighth, tipping his cap to the crowd as he departed.

Moyer has pitched in more ballparks than anyone since at least 1921, and was 8-2 in the Marlins’ former home, Sun Life Stadium. Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen — one of 11 current managers to bat against Moyer in their careers — went 4 for 22 against the lefty, and several members of the Miami coaching staff and front office also have faced him at one time or another.

“I don’t remember much,” Guillen said about his times against Moyer. “I know he went from very bad to very good to very old. … I feel proud to know him.”

Miami added an insurance run in the seventh, when Ramirez tripled and scored on Kearns’ fourth hit.

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The Marlins will start veteran left-handed pitcher Mark Buehrle who has been arguably the Marlins’ most stable pitcher all season long. Buehrle is 3-4 with a 3.17 ERA this year and if the Marlins offense had come to play in more of his outings, he’d have a much better record.

But the real story will be on the other mound as the Rockies toss out Jamie Moyer, 49, to face Buehrle. Over his career, Moyer is 13-6 with a 3.09 ERA in 19 starts against the Marlins. If he can pull out a win on Monday, it will be his 270th career victory.

The Fish will once again be using a make-shift lineup as injuries and poor play have shaken up the roster. Emilio Bonifacio was sent to the 15-day disabled list, Omar Infante left the team for a death in his family, and Gaby Sanchez was optioned to Triple-A after hitting south of the Mendoza line in April & May.

That leaves the Marlins moving Logan Morrison to his natural position of first base and a couple of spots in the outfield to cover. The Marlins recalled Chris Coghlan from Triple-A New Orleans along with infielder Donovan Solano.

Coghlan and Austin Kearns are expected to fill Morrison’s spot in left field, while Solano will be coming to the Majors for the first time in his career. Solano was hitting .262 with 14 RBI’s for New Orleans.

Johnson (2-3) allowed one run and five hits over seven innings as Miami took two of three from the Indians and improved to 14-5 in May, the best record in the majors this month.

Heath Bell gave up an RBI double to Jose Lopez and a run-scoring groundout to Casey Kotchman in the ninth before nailing down his fifth save in nine chances.

Cleveland starter Derek Lowe (6-2) allowed two runs over six innings and had his four-game winning streak broken.

Clinging to a 2-1 lead, Johnson twice got the Indians to hit key ground balls with two runners on. After the Indians scored in the fifth on an RBI single by Lopez, the right-hander got Shin-Soo Choo to ground to the right side, forcing out Lou Marson at second. Shortstop Jose Reyes could not throw to first for a double-play attempt as Marson stood in his way. The umpires ruled interference and called Choo out, too.

With runners on first and third in the seventh, Johnson got pinch-hitter Kotchman on a grounder to end the threat.

After scoring only three runs in the first two games at Progressive Field, Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen made sure Miami put some pressure on Lowe. Reyes opened the game with a double and Guillen had Bryan Petersen bunt him over to third. Reyes then scored on a groundout by Hanley Ramirez.

Miami made it 2-0 in the third when Ramirez got a two-out single and hustled around the bases to score on a double by Greg Dobbs.

Michael Brantley broke a 0-for-13 slump with a bloop single and stole second to fuel Cleveland’s fifth-inning rally.

Johnson has given up two runs over seven innings in three straight starts, going 2-0.

The 38-year-old Lowe was coming off a 127-pitch shutout of Minnesota on Tuesday, when he gave up six hits and four walks without a strikeout.

Logan Morrison had an RBI double in the eighth against reliever Jeremy Accardo. Brett Hayes followed with a run-scoring single and Morrison scored on a groundout by Chris Coghlan to make it 5-1.

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Gomez (3-2) allowed two Marlins to reach base in an inning only once, striking out four over 6 1-3 innings. Cabrera connected off Anibal Sanchez (2-2) to put Cleveland ahead in the fourth inning.

Three relievers finished off the Indians’ third shutout of the season. Chris Perez struck out the side on 10 pitches in the ninth for his 13th save in 14 chances.

Miami dropped to 13-5 in May, while Cleveland tied the three-game interleague series 1-1 by earning its fifth win in six games.

Gomez’s performance was the latest in a string of strong outings by Cleveland’s rotation. Indians starters have worked six or more innings in 20 of the last 23 games. They have logged more innings than any other starting staff since April 27.

Gomez walked two and was in trouble only once, when the Marlins put runners on first and third with two outs in the third. He got Hanley Ramirez to fly out to right to end the threat.

The 24-year-old right-hander has made two straight strong starts after being tagged for a season-high eight runs in 6 2-3 innings by the Chicago White Sox on May 9. He gave up one unearned run in three hits in a no-decision Monday against Minnesota before shutting down the Marlins in his first career interleague appearance.

Joe Smith replaced Gomez with a runner on first and one out in the seventh and got Gaby Sanchez to ground into a double play. Vinnie Pestano pitched a perfect eighth, striking out one.

Sanchez lost his second straight start. The right-hander gave up seven hits and two runs over eight innings and continued to be plagued by a lack of offensive support. The Marlins have scored only 14 runs while Sanchez has been on the mound, an average of 1.75 in his eight starts.

Cabrera broke a scoreless duel by hitting his fifth homer on an 0-2 pitch to lead off the fourth.

Cleveland made it 2-0 in the fifth when Shelley Duncan reached on an infield single and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Jason Kipnis.

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Miami broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Hanley Ramirez. All three Marlins runs were scored by batters who had started rallies with walks.

Zambrano (2-2) gave up four hits and two runs as he continued a strong first season in Miami after 11 years with the Chicago Cubs. The right-hander has a 1.96 ERA in eight starts since being acquired in a January trade.

Heath Bell worked the ninth for his fourth save in eight chances.

Reliever Tony Sipp (0-2) took the loss as Cleveland had a four-game winning streak broken.

Marlins center fielder Emilio Bonifacio left with a strained left thumb in the fifth inning.

Indians starter Justin Masterson, aware that Bonifacio was 20 for 20 in steals this season, threw over to first base four times to keep the speedy runner close. On one of the pickoff attempts, Bonifacio appeared to jam his hand as he dove back to the base. He then was thrown out by catcher Carlos Santana.

Bryan Petersen opened the Miami eighth with a walk off Sipp and was bunted to second by Jose Reyes. Right-hander Joe Smith came on and got Omar Infante to hit a bouncer back to him. Smith whirled and threw to second, trying to get Petersen, but the ball hit the runner and rolled into right field for an error, putting Marlins on first and third.

Ramirez then flied out to center, scoring Petersen for the second time. Petersen also walked to open the third inning against Indians starter Justin Masterson, was singled to third by Reyes and scored when Infante’s ground ball forced out Reyes at second.

Cleveland took a 2-0 lead off Zambrano in the second.

Johnny Damon drew a two-out walk and scored all the way from first on Casey Kotchman’s double just inside the first-base line. After Jose Lopez walked, Shin-Soo Choo singled home Kotchman for a 2-0 lead.

The Marlins tied it at 2 in the sixth. Infante walked, was doubled to third by Greg Dobbs and scored on a sacrifice fly by Giancarlo Stanton.

Masterson gave up two runs and six hits over seven innings, bouncing back from a poor start Sunday in Boston when he gave up six runs over six innings of a 12-1 loss to the Red Sox.

Guillen, the sometimes outspoken Miami Marlins’ manager, said Thursday “I hate Twitter. I don’t need the aggravation … so many nasty people.”

He announced on his (at)OzzieGuillen Twitter account his departure in English and Spanish by saying “my last tweet. me ultimo tweet good luck buena suerte.”

The 47-year-old Guillen says he advises his followers to follow Marlins outfielder Logan Morrison. Guillen says Morrison is “more fun” and “has better stuff than me.”

Guillen’s most recent tweets were about the death of his friend and former White Sox pitcher Kevin Hickey.

Guillen tweeted “my man kevin hickey go to better life rip my brother.”

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Thursday night belonged to Atlanta’s Brandon Beachy.

Beachy improved his major league-best ERA with a five-hit shutout and the Atlanta Braves beat Miami 7-0 to split the two-game series.

Nolasco (4-2) gave up four runs on seven hits in four innings as he was denied his bid for sole possession of the Marlins’ record for career wins. Nolasco, who is tied with Dontrelle Willis at 68 wins, has lasted less than five innings in two straight losses.

“He threw better than what he showed,” said Miami manager Ozzie Guillen, who removed Nolasco for pinch-hitter Austin Kearns in the fifth inning.

“That’s what I hate about the National League; you have to take the pitcher out for offense,” Guillen said.

Nolasco said he “couldn’t catch a break” even though he said he “made a lot of good pitches,” even on Freddie Freeman’s homer.

“Balls were finding holes and stuff,” he said. “There’s nothing I can do there. That’s baseball.”

The shutout came in the first career complete game for Beachy (5-1), who hadn’t lasted longer than 7 1-3 innings.

The right-hander said he went straight to Braves closer Craig Kimbrel after the game.

“I told Craig ‘I’m jealous. You get to do this all the time,’” Beachy said. “I got pumped up there in the last inning. That’s a lot of fun.”

Beachy had two strikeouts in the ninth to cap Atlanta’s first shutout of the season. He has won five straight decisions since losing his first start. He had no walks and six strikeouts and lowered his ERA from 1.60 to 1.33.

“He threw a lot of strikes,” Guillen said of Beachy. “I think that was the key.

“This kid’s been throwing really well.”

With dark clouds hovering and lightning flashing over Turner Field, the Marlins’ best scoring opportunity came in the fifth, when they stranded runners on second and third. After singles by Gaby Sanchez and Kearns, Jose Reyes lined out to right field to end the inning.

Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez and pitching coach Roger McDowell allowed Beachy remain in the game after throwing 110 pitches through eight innings.

“Roger and I were hanging on every pitch,” Gonzalez said. “You want the kid to be successful. You want him to have the complete game. You want him to have the shutout, but you want to keep him healthy.”

Beachy finished with 122 pitches.

Freeman homered and Chipper Jones, Michael Bourn, Martin Prado and Tyler Pastornicky each had two hits as the Braves outhit the Marlins 12-5.

The Braves improved to 18-5 with Jones in the starting lineup. They are 6-10 in games he did not start.

Bourn led off the first with a single and scored on Prado’s triple just beyond the reach of centerfielder Emilio Bonifacio.

The Braves added two runs with two outs in the third. Freeman launched a high homer, his seventh, to right field. Dan Uggla walked and scored on Brian McCann’s double past a diving Logan Morrison in left field. The ball skipped past Morrison and bounced to the wall, allowing Uggla to score easily.

Jason Heyward was caught stealing after he was hit by a pitch to open the fourth. The Braves still had a productive inning as Pastornicky singled, moved to second on Beachy’s sacrifice and scored on Bourn’s single up the middle for a 4-0 lead.

The Braves added three runs in the fifth off Chad Gaudin, who walked freeman and Uggla to start the inning. Jones, Heyward and Beachy had run-scoring singles.

The Marlins had another scoring opportunity when Giancarlo Stanton led off the seventh with a double. Stanton was left standing on second as Beachy struck out Brett Hayes to end the inning

The right fielder had the biggest hit of the game — a two-run homer, but what really impressed Guillen was his diving catch that saved at least two runs in Miami’s 8-4 win over Atlanta Wednesday night.

With Miami leading 3-1 in the fourth, the Braves had runners on second and third with two outs following singles by Dan Uggla and Brian McCann. Jason Heyward hit a drive that looked like a sure two-run double before Stanton, running at full speed toward the foul line, made a diving catch. Stanton landed about one foot in front of the warning track.

“You make a play like that, it’s kind of like you hit a home run to win the game,” Guillen said. “It’s the same thing.”

Stanton said at first he didn’t realize how hard Heyward hit the ball.

“I just put my head down and ran to a spot and dove for it,” he said.

On Tuesday night, Stanton robbed Pittsburgh’s Garrett Jones with a leaping catch before hitting the right-field wall.

Stanton said the catch of Heyward’s line drive was bigger.

“This one was way better than the one last night,” Stanton said. “This one saved two runs. The other one was just a good catch.”

His play has helped the Marlins put together an impressive May record.

Miami is 12-3 this month after a slow 8-14 start in April. The Marlins (20-17) moved three games over .500 for the first time this season.

“The difference this month is we get big hits because we’re pitching the same,” Guillen said.

The Marlins led 6-1 off struggling Braves left-hander Mike Minor before Atlanta scored three runs off Mark Buehrle in the sixth. Stanton’s eighth homer, which drove in Kearns after his second double, pushed the lead to 8-4 in the seventh.

Buehrle (3-4) gave up four runs on six hits in six innings with the win in the first meeting of the season between the NL East rivals.

“I was a little disappointed in myself to let them get back in it in the sixth inning after we had a big lead,” Buehrle said, adding “I don’t feel like I should have won.”

Austin Kearns and Emilio Bonifacio each had two hits and drove in two runs. Omar Infante had two hits and scored two runs.

Minor (2-3) gave up six runs on six hits in 4 2-3 innings, the fourth straight start he has allowed six or more runs. He gave up three runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth, leaving his ERA at 7.09.

Despite his struggles, manager Fredi Gonzalez said he is sticking with the 24-year-old Minor.

“I thought the first three innings, he did whatever he wanted through that lineup,” Gonzalez said, adding “and then it unravels on him. It’s a little complex.

“You feel like he’s getting it and all of a sudden those type of innings happen to him. … But that’s a young pitcher. We have to be patient with him and get him through those type of innings. I think he’ll be better off at the other end, when he gets through those innings.”

If Minor’s struggles continue, possible options for the Braves include Livan Hernandez and Kris Medlen, who could move from the bullpen, and Julio Teheran at Triple-A Gwinnett.

Kearns had a two-run double in the Marlins’ three-run fourth. Minor was knocked out of the game after giving up three hits, including a run-scoring single by Gaby Sanchez, in the fifth. Bonifacio added his second RBI single of the game off reliever Cristhian Martinez.

Rookie shortstop Tyler Pastornicky hit leadoff for the first time as Gonzalez rested centerfielder Michael Bourn.

Pastornicky, the normal No. 8 hitter, led off the first with a single, moved to third on Martin Prado’s double and scored on Freddie Freeman’s groundout to first base.

Buehrle retired 10 straight batters after the double by Prado, who had three hits.

Heath Bell pitched the ninth in a non-save situation for Miami.

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Johnson (1-3) had gone winless in 12 starts since his most recent victory on April 19, 2011. He missed the final 4½ months of last season because of right shoulder inflammation.

Hanley Ramirez had three hits and two RBIs for the Marlins. Omar Infante tied a career high with four hits, including a two-run single, and John Buck singled home the other two runs.

The Marlins concluded a 3-2 homestand and split the two-game series.

Kevin Correia (1-4) lasted only 3 2-3 innings, his shortest outing this year, and gave up a season-high six runs. He fell to 0-4 in his past five starts.

Johnson gave up a run in the first inning, but after the first two batters singled in the third, he retired 13 of the next 14 hitters before Michael McKenry homered. He gave up six hits and struck out six.

Johnson, the 2010 NL ERA leader, was the Marlins’ opening day starter this season but endured several rough outings. With the victory, he reduced his ERA to 5.36 and improved his career record to 49-26.

Edward Mujica and Randy Choate completed the six-hitter and lowered Miami’s team ERA this month to 2.86.

The Marlins knocked out Correia when they scored five runs in the fourth to take a 6-1 lead. Buck drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single, Infante also had a two-run single and Ramirez doubled home a run.

Miami, which came into the game last in the majors in batting with runners in scoring position, went 4 for 12 in those situations.

The Pirates scored in the first for the second straight night. Andrew McCutchen walked with two outs, advanced on a single by Pedro Alvarez and scored on Garrett Jones’ single.

Ramirez tied the score with an RBI double in the bottom of the first.

Lincoln (3-0), who had come out of the bullpen in his seven previous appearances this season, departed for a pinch-hitter with a 3-2 lead and an ERA of 1.33. He allowed four hits and walked one.

The Pirates, who rank last in the majors in runs, won with only six hits. Rod Barajas, who came into the game batting .162, hit his second homer, and Pedro Alvarez put Pittsburgh ahead to stay with an RBI double in the sixth.

The Pirates started a seven-game, three-city trip with their third victory in a row, and they’re within one game of .500. They hadn’t beaten the Marlins since 2010 and went 0-6 against them last year.

Three Pittsburgh relievers combined to shut out Miami over the final three innings. The Marlins had runners at first and third with one out in the eighth, but Jason Grilli struck out Logan Morrison and got Giancarlo Stanton to pop out.

Joel Hanrahan pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save in eight chances. The bullpen lowered its ERA to 2.54.

Miami’s Anibal Sanchez (2-1) went seven innings for the fifth start in a row and allowed three runs.

Hanley Ramirez hit his seventh home run for the Marlins, but they otherwise mustered little support for Sanchez. They’ve scored only 12 runs in his past five starts.

Miami, which began the week last in the majors batting with runners in scoring position, went 1 for 8 in those situations.

Pittsburgh went ahead for the third and final time when Alvarez doubled home Andrew McCutchen, who had singled.

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the first. Jose Tabata led off with a double, took third on a flyout and scored on a sacrifice fly by McCutchen. Barajas homered in the second.

Miami came from behind twice. Ramirez’s homer in the second made the score 1-all, and Emilio Bonifacio hit a two-out RBI single in the fourth to tie the game at 2.

If their recent dominance of the Pittsburgh Pirates is a factor, they shouldn’t have much trouble staying hot.

With eight straight wins over Pittsburgh, Miami seeks an 11th victory in its last 13 games overall when it hosts the opener of a two-game set Monday night.

The Marlins (18-16) started slowly, fighting through outspoken manager Ozzie Guillen’s five-game suspension and the struggles of high-priced closer Heath Bell.

They lost eight of nine April 20-30, but have since won 10 of 12 after Sunday’s 8-4 come-from-behind victory over the New York Mets.

Bell came in with the score tied at 2 in the top of the ninth inning and gave up two runs to up his ERA to a whopping 10.03, but he ended up getting the win. Miami scored six times in the bottom of the ninth, concluding with Giancarlo Stanton’s walkoff grand slam.

Stanton went 7 for 13 in the series and is batting .351 while hitting safely in 14 of his last 15 games.

Miami’s offense has helped a starting rotation that possesses a 3.16 ERA that ranks among the best in the majors.

“We’re where we’re at because of our pitching,” said catcher John Buck, who hit a two-run homer in the seventh Sunday. “It’s kind of nice to have the bats speak up a bit.”

Anibal Sanchez (2-0, 2.01 ERA) will take the mound after he allowed two unearned runs over seven innings in Miami’s 3-2 loss to Houston on Tuesday that ended the team’s seven-game winning streak.

The right-hander, who has gone seven innings in each of his last four starts, is 2-1 with a 1.64 ERA in three starts against Pittsburgh. His most recent look at them was one of his best outings in the majors, a one-hitter in which he struck out 11 while winning 3-0 on Sept. 10.

The Marlins’ offense has provided plenty of support during the team’s winning streak over the Pirates, outscoring them 48-12.

Pittsburgh (16-18) is hitting .175 against Miami in that span, and its offense hasn’t been much better against the rest of the league.

The Pirates’ 97 runs rank last in baseball, and the lack of offense has done little to help a pitching staff with a stellar 3.15 ERA.

A.J. Burnett allowed two runs in eight innings before Josh Harrison delivered an RBI single in the 12th to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 win over Houston on Sunday.

Left-hander Erik Bedard was scheduled to face the Marlins on Monday, but he’s yet to fully recover from back spasms that forced him to leave after the first inning of Wednesday’s 4-2 win over Washington.

Brad Lincoln (2-0, 0.63) earned the victory in that contest after allowing one unearned run and one hit in three innings, and he’ll make his first start of the season in Bedard’s place.

The right-hander, who is 3-7 with a 5.54 ERA in 17 career starts, has pitched only a scoreless inning of relief against the Marlins.

Florida shortstop Jose Reyes is hitting .340 over his last 13 contests, and he’s been even better versus Pittsburgh. Reyes is batting .411 with 15 multihit games in his last 22 against the Pirates.

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The walk-off victory was the second in the three-game series for the Marlins, who have won 10 of their past 12 games.

The Marlins trailed 4-2 when Emilio Bonifacio led off the ninth with his second triple of the game against Francisco (1-3). John Buck walked and pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs followed with an RBI single.

Francisco was then replaced, and he walked slowly toward plate umpire Todd Tichenor, hollering angrily. Manager Terry Collins stepped between Tichenor and Francisco, who waved his index finger and then his cap at the ump before finally heading to the dugout.

Francisco’s ERA rose to 8.56. He blew a save in the series opener Friday night.

Manny Acosta replaced Francisco, and Jose Reyes’ sacrifice fly made the score 4-all. After a popup, Hanley Ramirez walked on a 3-2 pitch and Austin Kearns was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Stanton then hit the first pitch way over the left-center wall near the animated home run sculpture for his seventh homer, and sixth this month. He took a long look at the drive and tossed his bat aside as he began his trot around the bases.

Struggling reliever Heath Bell (2-3) earned the victory even though he gave up two runs in the top of the ninth and drew scattered boos when the inning ended.

Mets pinch-hitter Justin Turner broke a 2-all tie with a two-out, two-run double in the ninth off Bell, whose ERA rose to 10.03. Turner’s hit came after a double by Daniel Murphy and a walk to Ronny Cedeno.

It was the second time in 2 1/2 weeks that Turner came off the bench and got the best of Bell in a crucial situation. Last month at Citi Field, Turner drew a bases-loaded walk in a sensational 13-pitch at-bat to tie the score in the ninth inning. New York went on to beat Bell and the Marlins 3-2 for a three-game sweep.

Mets starter Jonathon Niese pitched six innings and departed for a pinch-hitter with a 2-0 lead, but it lasted for only two batters when Ramon Ramirez replaced him. Bonifacio led off the seventh with a stand-up triple, and Buck followed with his fourth homer.

Buck hiked his average to .200 and made amends for a passed ball that led to the Mets’ unearned run in the fourth.

New York’s David Wright went 1 for 3 and finished the series 8 for 14, which left his NL-leading average at 400. He also made three nifty plays at third base, including a reflex grab to rob Hanley Ramirez of a hit.

Carlos Zambrano pitched seven innings and limited the Mets to two runs, one earned, which lowered his ERA to 1.88.

Niese stranded four runners in scoring position and benefited from two double plays, but he remained winless in his past five starts.

The Mets ended Zambrano’s 19-inning scoreless streak in the fourth. Kirk Nieuwenhuis led off with an infield single, Wright also singled and a passed ball put runners at second and third. Lucas Duda’s groundout scored the first run, and Murphy singled to drive in an unearned run.

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Throwing strikes also has helped the veteran right-hander with that transition.

Zambrano looks to extend his 16-inning scoreless streak Sunday when the host Marlins complete their series against the New York Mets.

Acquired in the offseason for Chris Volstad, Zambrano joined the Marlins following a tumultuous 11-year run with the Chicago Cubs. There were plenty of questions whether the three-time All-Star could revive his career after going on the disqualified list in August for leaving the Cubs following an ejection, but by all accounts, Zambrano has been a model teammate since arriving in Miami.

“Since he walked in here, he has been nothing but awesome, (in) every way you can think of,” catcher John Buck told the Marlins’ official website. “He’s kind of a favorite in this clubhouse.”

Zambrano (1-2, 1.98 ERA) will continue to be a favorite if he can keep throwing strikes. The right-hander earned his first Marlins victory Monday by fanning a season-high nine and tossing a three-hitter in a 4-0 win at Houston.

With 22 strikeouts and six walks in his last four outings, Zambrano has raised his strikeout-to-walk ratio to 2.29 – it was 1.95 or less in each of his last six seasons with the Cubs.

“Strikes, strikes,” Guillen said of Zambrano’s success. “Everything was under control. The split finger was effective, his fastball was coming out of his hands very well and command. When Carlos commands it is very good.”

Zambrano might need that kind of stuff against Mets third baseman David Wright, who is batting a league-best .402 after recording his first four-hit game of the season in Saturday’s 9-3 win.

The five-time All-Star, batting .478 on the road, feels it’s far too early to start thinking about a run at .400.

“Those are unrealistic goals,” Wright said following his fourth consecutive multihit game. “I think it’s realistic to go up there and try to have good at-bats. If the results come, great.”

They haven’t against Zambrano, with Wright going 3 for 24 with 11 strikeouts in that matchup.

Wright’s former Mets teammate, Jose Reyes, also is looking to build on his first four-hit game of 2012. The shortstop is 5 for 9 in the first two games of this series after getting one hit in 12 at-bats as Miami suffered a three-game sweep in his return to New York from April 24-26.

Reyes is hitless in three at-bats against Sunday’s scheduled starter, Jonathon Niese (2-1, 4.01).

The Mets (19-14) are hoping the left-hander can deliver a strong start as they try to end a six-game trip with five wins. Niese, though, is 0-2 with a 6.14 ERA in three starts in Miami.

He did not earn a decision in a 3-2 win over the Marlins on April 26, but he struck out six while throwing seven innings of two-run ball.

Daniel Murphy is hitting .429 in his last eight games and is 3 for 10 against Zambrano, who was 6-3 with a 3.39 ERA in 12 starts against the Mets while with Chicago.

Winner of nine of 11 overall, Miami (17-16) has dropped four of six at home.

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Unfortunately for Marlins fans, it was the Marlins pitching staff that buckled Saturday afternoon.

David Wright homered and singled three times in his fourth consecutive multi-hit game Saturday, and R.A. Dickey earned his fifth victory by pitching six innings to help the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 9-3.

Wright singled home a run in the first inning, hit his fourth homer in the third, singled and scored in the sixth, and added an RBI single in the ninth. He finished 4 for 6 and raised his batting average to an NL-best .402. His on-base percentage of .489 leads the majors.

Dickey (5-1) gave up two runs and has allowed only seven in his past four starts. The knuckleballer earned a painful RBI when he was hit on his pitching hand in the fifth inning with the bases loaded. He received a visit from a trainer but stayed in the game.

Ricky Nolasco (4-1) missed a chance to break the Marlins’ record for career victories by earning his 69th win. Instead, he endured his 52nd defeat, allowing six runs in 4 2-3 innings.

Nolasco gave up nine hits, walked three and hit consecutive batters, including Dickey.

Andres Torres had a two-run single in the fifth to knock Nolasco out of the game. Lucas Duda and Daniel Murphy each contributed three of the Mets’ 16 hits.

The Marlins went 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position and are batting .199 in those situations, worst in the majors. They had two runners tagged out between second and third.

The Mets have been winning lately with comebacks, but this time they led from the first. Nolasco walked three in the inning and gave up an RBI single to Wright.

Catcher’s interference by Brett Hayes prolonged the Mets’ fourth inning, allowing them to score a run. With runners at second and third with two out, Torres flied out, but his swing knocked the glove off Hayes’ hand. Torres was awarded first base, and Kirk Nieuwenhuis followed with an RBI single.

Wright singled in the sixth and later scored on Daniel Murphy’s single to put the Mets ahead 7-1.

The Marlins scored in the second inning when their first three batters singled. Gaby Sanchez’s hit drove in the run.

Giancarlo Stanton doubled home a run in the sixth and Hanley Ramirez had an RBI double in the seventh. Jose Reyes had four hits for Miami.

Both teams will finish

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According to the Palm Beach Post, Guillen gave indications that Bell has started throwing the ball better and could be bound for the closer’s job once again.

“Let’s put Bell back there to see what happens,” Guillen told the Post. “That’s his job. And I like the way he has thrown the ball.”

Bell pitched a scoreless 10th inning Wednesday in Houston in his first appearance since losing the closer’s job.

After being given a 3-year, $27 million contract in the offseason, Bell has been a complete dud for the Fish. He has a 10.24 ERA and a 7-10 strikeout to walk ratio in his nearly 10 innings pitched this season.

Bell might get his chance Saturday afternoon when the Marlins take on the Mets at Marlins Park.

The Marlins scored twice in the ninth off Frank Francisco to win for the ninth time in 10 games. They were coming off an 8-1 trip, the best in franchise history.

The Mets overcame an early 3-0 deficit and entered the ninth on the verge of their fourth consecutive comeback win.

The Marlins trailed 5-4 when Giancarlo Stanton led off the ninth with a double off Francisco (1-2). Stanton took third on a flyout and scored on a single by Bonifacio.

Bonifacio stole second to improve to 17 for 17 this season — the best start in franchise history. After John Buck struck out, Dobbs lined the first pitch from Francisco for a single, and Bonifacio scored without a play.

The walkoff hit was the first for Dobbs since 2005.

Francisco blew his second save in 10 chances. His ERA rose to 6.59.

Johan Santana fell behind 3-0 after one-third of an inning, and the Mets trailed 3-2 before scoring three times in the eighth.

Austin Kearns hit a two-run homer for Miami, his third. Omar Infante — batting second for the first time this season — drove in two runs and had three hits. Mark Buehrle left with a 3-2 lead after 6 2-3 innings, lowering his ERA to 2.81.

Jose Reyes led off Miami’s first inning with a catchable triple over the head of center fielder Andres Torres. Infante followed with an RBI single, and Kearns pulled a 3-2 pitch to activate the animated home-run sculpture.

Reyes’ hit meant a milestone for New York. The game was the 8,000th in Mets’ history, and they’ve never thrown a no-hitter — baseball’s longest such streak.

Three-time All-Star Heath Bell (1-3), who lost his job as Miami’s closer after blowing four saves, pitched a perfect ninth and lowered his ERA to 9.28. Before the game, manager Ozzie Guillen said he would give Bell another try soon in the closer’s role.

David Wright led off the Mets’ eighth with his third hit, a double against Edward Mujica. Pinch hitter Kirk Nieuwenhuis tied the score with a one-out double, and after consecutive walks loaded the bases, pinch hitter Mike Baxter hit a two-run double off Ryan Webb.

Baxter improved to 6 for 15 (.400) as a pinch hitter.

Ike Davis hit his fifth homer in the fifth for the Mets, and Mike Nickeas doubled home a run in the seventh. Wright singled twice and doubled to hike his average to .387.

Santana departed after six innings and struck out seven.

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More exciting for him, though, was the performance of starter Josh Johnson and former closer Heath Bell Wednesday night.

Infante’s bases-loaded two RBI single in the 12th inning lifted the Marlins to a 5-3 win over the Astros.

Before that, Johnson rebounded from two straight tough outings by allowing four hits and two runs with six strikeouts in seven innings.

Bell, who was demoted from the closer spot last week, allowed a hit in a scoreless 10th.

“I think the best news I saw was Bell and J.J. throwing the ball outstanding,” Guillen said. “To me that was very important. I wanted those guys to go out there and have some success.”

Guillen demoted Bell, a three-time All-Star, after he blew his fourth save in seven opportunities on Friday. He hopes Bell will pitch well enough to earn his job back soon.

“I want to see him throw the ball the way he did today with confidence,” Guillen said. “I believe we’re a better ball club with him as a closer.”

Bell didn’t have much to say about his performance and wouldn’t say when he expects to close again.

“I want my job back, it’s up to Ozzie when I get my job back,” Bell said.

Logan Morrison singled in the 12th before a walk by Giancarlo Stanton. Greg Dobbs grounded into a force out at second and left runners on the corners. Reliever David Carpenter (0-2) walked John Buck with two outs to load the bases and set up Infante’s game-winner.

The victory improved the Marlins to 8-1 on their nine-game road trip.

Ryan Webb (2-1) pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings for the win.

The Marlins had runners at first and second with no outs in the 10th after a single by Hanley Ramirez and Jed Lowrie’s second error of the game, which allowed Morrison to reach. But closer Brett Myers retired the next three Marlins to escape the jam.

Brian Bogusevic tied it at 3-all with an RBI single off Steve Cishek with two outs in the ninth inning.

Carlos Lee got things going in that inning when he hit his first triple of the year on a ball hit just out of reach of a diving Stanton in right field with one out in the ninth inning. Cishek walked Chris Johnson on four pitches with two outs before Bogusevic’s hit. Matt Downs grounded out to send it to the 10th.

The Marlins trailed 2-1 after a solo homer by Johnson in the second inning.

John Buck and Jose Reyes both had run-scoring singles in the fourth to put Miami up 3-2.

Reyes drew a leadoff walk before scoring on an error by Lowrie with one out. Lowrie missed a ball hit by Ramirez and the ball rolled into the outfield to allow Reyes to stroll home and give Miami a 1-0 lead.

It was the first time in the series that they’d scored on anything but a home run, after hitting five combined in the previous two games, but failing to get much else going on offense.

Jordan Schafer broke a 0 for 15 skid with a double in the first for the Astros. He scored after Buck, the catcher, had an error following a wild pitch. Schafer also doubled in the fifth and finished 4 for 5.

Houston starter Lucas Harrell allowed six hits and three runs — two earned — in 5 1-3 innings.

Things got testy in the seventh inning when reliever Wilton Lopez plunked Ramirez on the left arm. Lopez and Ramirez and catcher Chris Snyder were jawing as an umpire escorted Ramirez to first base. Lopez was then replaced by Wesley Wright, but didn’t leave the field until using a hand signal apparently meant to mock the Marlins.

Last season, Bonifacio and Infante began using the same hand signal, making a sideways ‘V’ with their fingers across their eyes, to mean ‘lo viste?’ in Spanish or ‘see that?,’ after good plays.

Lopez refused comment after the game, but manager Brad Mills spoke about the beaning.

“There was no way we were trying to hit him there,” Mills said. “The ball just got up and away from him. There was absolutely no intent.”

Lopez didn’t stop once he was off the field, making the gesture several more times from the dugout while eyeing Ramirez.

Both managers came out separately to talk to the umpire before Morrison grounded out to end the inning.

Reyes made the gesture with a smile after a single in the 11th inning.

Guillen didn’t think the incident was that big of a deal.

“Very mature,” he said with a laugh when asked about it. “That’s all I can say. Very mature. He’s lucky I wasn’t Hanley. I would have chased (him) all the way to Puerto Rico. But that’s part of the game. He’s a kid.”

Miami hit the road to start May and hasn’t looked back since. The Marlins swept the San Francisco Giants to start the month and followed that up with a sweep of the San Diego Padres. The Marlins won the first game against the Astros. Houston won Tuesday and now the rubber match is Wednesday night.

If the Fish can pull out a victory, it will be the most successful road trip in the history of the franchise.

Miami is sending pitcher Josh Johnson to the mound as he looks for his first win since April 19…of 2011. Johnson is 0-3 on the season and has a brutal 6.61 ERA. He lasted just 2.2 innings against the Padres and his performance has led manager Ozzie Guillen to question his health.

Johnson isn’t blaming his health, but his pitches haven’t had the same movement they had in the past and he’s still working on keeping the ball down in the strike zone.

On the season, Johnson has given up 23 runs in 31.1 innings pitched. The worst part of his numbers is that opposing batters are hitting .359 against him this season. For his career, opposing hitters are hitting .245 against the Marlins ace.

Johnson had seemed to turn the corner in mid April, but then at the end of the month, he gave up 10 hits and 5 earned runs against the Diamondbacks and then gave up 6 earned runs against the Padres.

Before the season, Marlins management said Johnson could be the key to making real noise in the playoff race. Unfortunately for the Marlins, Johnson still seems a long way off from being right.

“I knew right off the bat, I’m scoring,” Buck said. “He’s either going to catch it or I’m scoring.”

Bogusevic’s RBI double sent Buck home and the Houston Astros ended the Miami Marlins’ season-long seven-game winning streak with a 3-2 victory on Tuesday night.

The game was tied 2-2 when Buck singled before Bogusevic’s hit off Ryan Webb (1-1) to the corner of left field, which a leaping Logan Morrison just missed, sent Buck home.

“The thing that I loved about that (play) was Travis Buck at first base,” Houston manager Brad Mills said. “He never broke stride. As soon as the ball was hit, he knew there were two outs, but he was gone as fast as he could. That’s exactly what you’re supposed to do, but sometimes guys want to look at the ball. But he took off right from the get-go and put him in a position to be able to score. That was great.”

The Astros had tied the game when two errors on one play by Omar Infante allowed two runs to score in the sixth inning. The normally reliable Infante had committed just one error in his previous 136 chances before that play.

“It was an easy ground ball,” Infante said. “I didn’t catch it and then I (didn’t look) and threw it too quickly. I don’t know why I threw the ball.”

Infante had a solo homer in the fourth and John Buck added one in the fifth to give Miami the 2-0 lead, but they managed just two hits the rest of the way.

Wilton Lopez (3-0) allowed one hit in the eighth for the win and Brett Myers pitched a scoreless ninth for his eighth save.

Houston’s Aneury Rodriguez, who was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City before the game, allowed two hits and struck out six in six innings in his 2012 major league debut. He wasn’t feeling well on Monday when he arrived in Houston, but was better by game time.

“I cried yesterday and they put me on some vitamins and today in the morning I felt better,” he said when asked if he was sick on Monday. “I felt good.”

Miami starter Anibal Sanchez allowed five hits and two runs — none earned — with eight strikeouts in seven innings. He wasn’t upset that Infante’s errors likely cost him the win.

“That’s part of the game,” he said. “I don’t have any concerns about it. He is one of the best second baseman in the major leagues. He’s not perfect. He’s human. I know he didn’t want to make the error, especially in that situation.”

Houston hadn’t been able to get more than one runner on base in an inning until the sixth. Pinch-hitter Marwin Gonzalez started things off with a single before a single by Jose Altuve with one out. Jed Lowrie grounded out before Sanchez loaded the bases by walking Carlos Lee.

Infante then had two errors on a ground ball hit by Buck. His first error allowed Buck to reach and the second one came when he badly missed the throw to first base, allowing Gonzalez and Altuve to score and tie it at 2-all.

Pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs singled for the Marlins with one out in the eighth inning for their first hit since John Buck’s homer in the fifth. But Jose Reyes grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Giancarlo Stanton made a jumping catch at the wall in right field on a ball hit by Lowrie for the first out in the eighth inning.

Rodriguez didn’t allow a hit until Infante’s two-out shot to the Crawford Boxes in left field in the fourth inning. John Buck, who also homered on Monday night, added a solo home run in the next inning to make it 2-0.

Rodriguez got his first major league hit and Houston’s first hit of the game on a single to right field with two outs in the third inning. Sanchez retired seven in a row after that, with the next hit coming on a single by Chris Johnson with two outs in the fifth inning.

Since then, he moved his hands back four inches in his stance, according to CBS4 news partner the Miami Herald, and everything started clicking.

“Keep [the hands] back here and the shoulder stays down,” Stanton told the Herald. “Four damn inches was the whole thing.”

Before he changed his stance at the end of April, he was hitting .234 with no home runs and five RBI’s. Since the change, he’s hitting .344 with two doubles, six home runs, and 12 RBI’s.

Marlins hitting coach Eduardo Perez told the Herald he wanted the hitters to create more backspin on swings, especially at home. Perez said high flyballs won’t get out of Marlins Park; instead, the players need to hit more line drives.

The Marlins have thrived since Stanton got into the groove this season. The team is undefeated in May and looking for their eighth straight victory Tuesday night against the Astros.

Miami has used the winning streak to move one game over .500 and the team is just one game behind the New York Mets for third place in the National League East.

It’s still very early, but the Marlins are finally starting to look like the team people expected. Now if the Marlins can get Jose Reyes hitting better and get Heath Bell in better shape as the team’s closer, things may really start clicking.

The Marlins were led by pitcher Carlos Zambrano, who pitched a 3 hit shutout; and by Giancarlo Stanton who extended his 10 game hitting streak when he went yard with one man on base.

Zambrano has been a revelation for the Marlins who gave him a fresh start after his very public meltdown with the Chicago Cubs late last season.

Entering the game, the three-time All-Star pitcher had an ERA of 2.54. By the end of the game, he had a 1.98 ERA and walked away with his first win of the season.

“Now I’m pitching smiling because God is in my heart,” Zambrano said. “When God is in your heart … nothing is frustrating, nothing can bother you.”

Stanton’s homer put Miami up 2-0 in the fourth inning. He now has six home runs and 12 RBI’s during his hitting streak.

Catcher John Buck extended the lead to 3-0 with a solo shot in the fifth inning. Hanley Ramirez also tacked on a home to finish off the scoring.

Zambrano struck out nine in the game and never allowed a batter past first base. He walked one and hit two batters.

Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said Zambrano’s success was simple, he just kept throwing strikes.

“Everything was under control. The split finger was effective, his fastball was coming out of his hands very well and command. When Carlos commands it is very good.”

The remaining issue for the Marlins to deal with is the closer role.

Guillen said he hopes after being demoted from the closer’s role last week that Heath Bell can return to the job soon.

“We’re a better ball club if Bell is our closer,” Guillen said. “That’s no doubt and we need him to be our closer.

Stanton drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the tiebreaking run in the eighth inning and the Marlins increased their season-high winning streak to six games with a 6-3 win over the San Diego Padres on Sunday.

Combined with a solid outing by Ricky Nolasco (4-0), the Marlins (14-14) got back to .500 after winning the first six games on this nine-game road trip.

“From where we came from, we are actually catching a lot of breaks,” Miami manager Ozzie Guillen said.

None bigger than the eight-pitch at-bat between Stanton and Andrew Cashner in the eighth inning of a 2-2 game when the Padres reliever threw eight pitches of 101 mph or faster.

“It was a great matchup,” Padres manager Bud Black said. “It was great theatre, there’s no doubt about it.”

Jose Reyes led off the eighth against Cashner (2-2) with a single and Emilio Bonifacio reached on a bunt single. With one out, Logan Morrison was walked intentionally. Cashner then struck out Omar Infante, with the final two pitches hitting at least 101 mph on the radar gun.

Stanton, who had homered in two straight games and four of his past five, then ran the count full against Cashner before the right-hander missed high on a 101 mph fastball.

Seven of the eight pitches to Stanton were 101 mph. The other was 102.

“It was a good at-bat,” Cashner said. “I was one pitch away from getting out of it and couldn’t make the pitch. I was going at him with my best stuff and he is one of the best young guys in the game right now.”

Said Guillen: “I saw 102 (mph) but you can throw 120 and without command you are going to get hurt. It’s all about command and making good pitches. It was a hell of an at-bat.”

With Gaby Sanchez batting, the Marlins scored another run when catcher John Baker was charged with a passed ball. Sanchez put Miami ahead 5-2 with an RBI single to chase Cashner before Stanton scored on another passed ball.

Miami lost eight of nine before beginning its winning streak. The Marlins have swept consecutive three-game series on the road for the second time in team history.

“It’s been tough. We had a tough few games but we are turning it around right now,” Nolasco said. “There are big wins for the team, so hopefully we can keep it going.”

Nolasco allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings to tie Dontrelle Willis for the club record with his 68th career win.

“It means a lot,” Nolasco said. ” I am grateful for the opportunity they have given me to be here this long.”

Edward Mujica pitched the ninth for his second save. It was the first time the Marlins have had a save opportunity since closer Heath Bell was demoted on Friday.

San Diego pitcher Joe Wieland helped himself when he hit a two-run double in the fifth to put the Padres ahead 2-0.

Miami came right back after Nolasco walked leading off the sixth. He went to second on Reyes’ single, advanced on a flyout and scored on Hanley Ramirez’s fielder’s choice.

Morrison tied the score at 2 with a triple to center, knocking Wieland out of the game.

Wieland allowed two runs and five hits over 5 2-3 innings and avoided becoming the first Padres pitcher to lose his first five career starts.

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Mark Buehrle threw a complete-game five-hitter to lead Miami to a 4-1 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday and its season-high five consecutive win.

Earlier in the day, Guillen demoted struggling closer Heath Bell, who has four blown saves this season. Bell is 0-3 with an 11.42 ERA in 11 games. The right-hander has allowed 15 hits in 8 2-3 innings with 10 walks and only six strikeouts. He signed a $27 million, three-year contract in the offseason.

With Bell being demoted and the Marlins’ bullpen short-handed due to recent overuse, Buehrle knew what was expected of him.

“The (the bullpen) said last night, ‘C’mon, we need you.’ But obviously you know the situation,” Buehrle said. “Did I think I was going to throw a complete game? No. But go seven, eight innings, I try to do every time even if (the bullpen) is down.”

Buehrle (2-4) allowed one run and five hits with two walks and three strikeouts in a game that lasted 2 hours, 18 minutes one day after the teams played a 12-inning game that lasted 4:45.

“There’s a reason why he’s got that kind of money,” said San Diego’s Orlando Hudson about Buehrle’s four-year, $58-million free-agent contract. “You don’t have to be overpowering to dominate a game. He pitched a great game.”

Buehrle threw his first complete game since Oct. 2, 2010, with the Chicago White Sox. Buehrle was coming off his shortest start of the season, a five-inning stint in a 9-5 loss against Arizona.

“Today was big, huge,” Guillen said. “This outing was huge for everyone because it was a day off for everyone.”

Asked if he had spoken with Buehrle before his start about the importance of going deep in the game, Guillen said: “He knows. I didn’t have to.”

Omar Infante, who doubled in the go-ahead run in Friday’s 9-8 win in 12 innings, had two RBIs with a double and a sacrifice fly on Saturday.

Giancarlo Stanton hit a solo homer in the ninth and Hanley Ramirez, who came into the game hitting just .198, had three hits.

Greg Dobbs’ pinch-hit single in a two-run eighth inning put the Marlins ahead.

The Marlins’ winning streak, all on the road, comes after they had lost eight of nine.

“We are going to go through slumps, we are going to go through winning streaks,” Buehrle said. “Right now, we are winning but we ain’t going to win 20 in a row, but just got to keep going out there.”

Jose Reyes led off the eighth inning with a walk and Emilio Bonifacio followed with an infield single. After Dale Thayer replaced Padres starter Clayton Richard, Dobbs singled to center for a 2-1 lead. Infante then hit a sacrifice fly.

Richard (1-4) gave up three runs and nine hits over seven innings. The left-hander struck out seven and walked three.

“It was disappointing I wasn’t able to come through in the eighth,” said Richard, who suffered his fourth straight loss.

After two of the NL’s lowest-scoring teams combined for 17 runs on 24 hits on Friday night, the clubs reverted to their previous form.

Ramirez led off the Marlins’ fourth with a one-out single, but was thrown out going to third base on Austin Kearns’ single. Infante followed with a run-scoring double.

Chase Headley tied the score in the sixth on an RBI single that scored Jesus Guzman, who doubled.

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From winless ace Josh Johnson to struggling closer Heath Bell, the Miami Marlins have major issues.

“There’s a lot going on,” Guillen said. “We have a lot of concerns.”

Still, after blowing an early five-run lead, Miami managed to pull out a wild game Friday night when Omar Infante doubled in the go-ahead run in the 12th inning for a 9-8 victory over the San Diego Padres.

Infante doubled to left-center off Josh Spence (0-1) with one out to score Hanley Ramirez, who led off with a walk. It was Infante’s third hit and second RBI of the game.

Ramirez hit a three-run homer in a five-run first inning, and Giancarlo Stanton also connected.

Steve Cishek (4-0), the seventh Marlins pitcher, threw three scoreless innings for the win. With a runner on second, Jesus Guzman lined out to Infante at second base to end it.

Padres closer Huston Street left the game in the 10th with a strain near his pitching shoulder. The right-hander will undergo an MRI on Saturday to determine the severity of the injury.

“I don’t think it’s major,” Street said. “It’s not in my shoulder. It’s more in my lat, up in the armpit. I think that’s a positive sign.”

The Padres scored one run in the ninth off Bell, their former closer, to send the game into extra innings.

Guzman led off the inning with a pinch-hit double. Cameron Maybin tied the score at 8 on a double to right before Bell got out of a bases-loaded jam.

Bell signed a $27 million, three-year contract to join the Marlins in the offseason. He has four blown saves in seven chances.

When asked about Bell’s status as the team’s closer, Guillen said: “Bell continues to struggle. We’ll check (Saturday) to see about the situation. We have to do something about it. We can’t be waiting anymore.”

Ramirez and Stanton each homered in the first to stake Miami to a 5-0 lead. It was gone by the third.

After twice falling behind by one run, the Marlins scored twice in the seventh to take an 8-7 lead on RBI singles by Greg Dobbs and Infante.

The Marlins, who have had trouble generating offense, got off to a fast start when Ramirez hit a three-run shot with no outs in the first off Anthony Bass. Stanton followed two batters later with a two-run drive, a 425-foot rocket into the Padres’ bullpen for a 5-0 lead.

Johnson escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom half but couldn’t get out of trouble in the third when the Padres scored six times, including a two-out, bases-loaded triple by Bass for his first major league hit.

Johnson is 0-3 in six starts and his ERA rose to 6.61. He allowed six runs and six hits in 2 2-3 innings.

“When you throw the ball over the middle of the plate, it’s going to get hit,” Johnson said. “You have to set guys up and not throw the ball in the middle of the plate. Terrible.”

Johnson issued a leadoff walk to Will Venable, who scored on Chase Headley’s one-out double. Nick Hundley followed with a two-out double and scored on Orlando Hudson’s single. After consecutive walks, Bass sliced a ball to right field that scooted past Stanton all the way to the wall to give the Padres a 6-5 lead and knock Johnson out of the game.

The early exit taxed Miami’s bullpen. Six relievers combined to allow two runs and nine hits over 9 1-3 innings.

Bass gave up six runs and six hits — just two after the first — in six innings. He had three walks, seven strikeouts, two wild pitches and a balk.

“Anthony did a great job of righting the ship, making pitches as he went along,” Padres manager Bud Black said. “A lot of pitchers cave in there, say it’s not their night, but not Anthony, which is really a great sign for him.”

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At least his Miami Marlins left San Francisco with a nice winning streak only a few days after being booed in their home ballpark.

Hanley Ramirez drove in a pair of runs without a hit to back Anibal Sanchez’s first win in four starts, and the Marlins rebounded from a rough stretch for a 3-2 victory over the Giants on Thursday and a three-game sweep.

“A win is a win, especially the way that we have been playing,” Guillen said. “We’ll take every win. We’ve got to get better. It’s very hard for our pitching staff to go out there and shut people down every day. At least we got people on base. It’s more fun that way. I’d rather have people on base than nobody on base. We cannot get the big hit to open a game. Every time we have people on base something happens to shut down and we don’t have the big hit to rally. It’s getting old.”

Giancarlo Stanton doubled in the seventh after he homered in three of his previous four games. Stanton has nine doubles and four home runs in 10 career games in the Giants’ waterfront ballpark.

A 3,000-mile trek cross-country and a change of scenery seems to have done the trick for the rebounding Marlins, who had lost eight of nine and were booed in their new home stadium before starting this series — the club’s second three-game sweep at AT&T Park in as many visits.

“To come here and win all three games was great for us,” shortstop Jose Reyes said. “We’re playing good as a team now. We’re playing very good defense. A couple weeks ago we didn’t play too good of defense. We just need to learn from the three wins we had here and continue to play together as a team. If we’re able to do that, we’re going to compete in our division.”

Edward Mujica worked the ninth for his first save in two chances on a day closer Heath Bell wasn’t available after pitching in three straight games. The Marlins won their seventh in a row in San Francisco, taking all three in this series by one run, including 3-2 in 10 innings Wednesday night.

Sanchez (2-0) allowed one run on seven hits, struck out five and walked one in seven innings. He snapped a three-start stretch in which he didn’t earn a decision, including a career-best 14-strikeout performance last Saturday’s 3-2 home win against Arizona.

Omar Infante and Brett Hayes each had three hits for the Marlins, though Guillen is demanding more from his lineup in key situations.

“There are a lot of opportunities and we’re not taking advantage,” Guillen said. “If we continue like that, the pitching staff is going to break down sooner or later.”

Melky Cabrera had two hits and the Giants scored their only run on his double-play grounder in the sixth.

The Giants received tough news before the game when slugger and top hitter Pablo Sandoval was lost to a broken bone in his left hand that will require surgery Friday. He’s expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks.

“Today it wasn’t Pablo. We made some mistakes,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “We’re hurting ourselves more than anything. We can’t get a productive out.”

San Francisco has scored three or fewer runs in eight of its 12 home games and has not scored more than five runs in any of its games at AT&T Park.

Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong (0-2) was tagged for eight hits in seven innings, struck out five and walked four while throwing 116 pitches.

The Giants had runners on second and third in the seventh but couldn’t convert, and they are 9 for 48 (.188) with runners in scoring position over the past six games. San Francisco went 0 for 5 Thursday.

“Everybody has to chip in and play harder. It’s going to be harder to win every game,” Brandon Belt said.

Conor Gillaspie, promoted from Triple-A Fresno to replace Sandoval, went 1 for 3 batting second as Angel Pagan dropped from leadoff to the No. 5 hole as the Giants dealt with the big blow of losing their All-Star slugger.

Pagan extended his career-best hitting streak to 17 games with a leadoff single in the seventh.

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Then, his Giants missed more chances in what has become a disturbing trend for manager Bruce Bochy’s bunch.

Giancarlo Stanton homered for the second time in three games to help back Ricky Nolasco’s third straight win, and the Marlins beat Cain and the Giants 2-1 on Tuesday night for just their second victory in 10 games.

Hanley Ramirez had an RBI single in the fourth that ended Cain’s home scoreless streak to start the season at 21 innings.

Nolasco (3-0) outdueled Cain (1-2) in the Marlins’ sixth victory against the Giants in their last eight meetings — a stretch that includes Nolasco’s 2-1 win over Cain last Aug. 12 in South Florida.

“I just made a couple of more mistakes than he did,” Cain said. “Sometimes you feel like you get yourself in the right situations and you don’t get it done.”

Struggling Miami closer Heath Bell pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save in six chances and first since walking a career-high four batters and taking his third loss Thursday in a 3-2 road loss to the Mets.

Pablo Sandoval hit a solo home run in the sixth for his fifth of the year and also doubled in the fourth for the Giants, who couldn’t capitalize on chances.

A few hours after manager Ozzie Guillen insisted he would begin making lineup changes in the coming days if the Marlins don’t get back on track, Miami stole three bases and challenged and worked the count against Cain. And Bell came through after Guillen said he would even consider a switch at closer if the burly right-hander didn’t start producing.

Ryan Theriot’s sharp grounder with two outs that bounced over the bag at first was ruled foul, and manager Bruce Bochy came out to argue. Theriot then grounded out to end the game.

“It’s tough. Obviously a big point in the game,” Theriot said. “We’d got a guy on second in the ninth and anything can happen, especially at home.”

And, as the struggles continued one day to the next, Guillen began inquiring about extra insurance to protect himself.

“Your fans boo you, for good reason, for the right reason, it was starting to get ugly,” Guillen said. “Hopefully we play better tomorrow than we did today, because my wife has very bad insurance. I’ve got to make sure I put my money in my insurance because if we keep playing like that, I might not make it to July.”

Cain allowed two runs on six hits in eight innings, struck out four and walked one.

The right-hander had been nearly unhittable at home so far. He pitched a one-hitter in a 5-0 win over Pittsburgh in the home opener April 13, then pitched another nine scoreless innings in a 1-0, 11-inning victory against the Phillies and Cliff Lee — Philadelphia’s ace went 10 scoreless — on April 18.

“It sure is a tough one for Matt. He gives up two runs in eight innings. He did his job,” Bochy said. “Watching Theriot’s reaction, he thought it was fair. That was a bad break. Still, we had our chances and didn’t come through.”

San Francisco leadoff man Angel Pagan extended his career-high hitting streak to 15 games with a third-inning single, then reached on an error in the eighth while sacrificing Gregor Blanco to third after his pinch-hit double. With no outs, Nolasco retired Melky Cabrera on a grounder to first before intentionally walking Sandoval to load the bases.

Edward Mujica relieved and got Posey to ground into an inning-ending double play.

“That’s a situation more times than not you’re going to get runs,” Cain said.

In the series opener, there was hardly the same drama these clubs endured when they played here last May.

This marked Posey’s first time facing the Marlins since the catcher’s season ended with left leg and ankle injuries in a collision at the plate on May 25, 2011, with the Marlins’ Scott Cousins.

Posey, the 2010 NL Rookie of the Year, is healthy and thriving and Cousins is trying to make his own comeback form injury with Triple-A New Orleans.

The Marlins swept that three-game series at AT&T Park. Now, the new-look, big-spending Miami club (9-14) is trying to dig itself out of last place in the NL East with the outspoken Guillen calling for his players to do everything better or face sweeping changes.

Nolasco allowed seven hits in 7 1-3 innings, struck out one and walked one. He improved to 4-0 at AT&T Park with a 0.87 ERA, and owns a 1.56 overall ERA against the Giants.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

The best word to describe that confidence now may be, oops.

Miami’s batters are hitting .228 overall and have a .291 on-base percentage which is near the bottom in the National League. The lineup fields two recent NL batting champions, good speed, and a big hitter in Giancarlo Stanton. But so far, no one has showed up.

It’s prompted some to ask is the new ballpark part of the problem.

Marlins Park has outfield walls that are tough for almost any hitter to overcome. The distance from home plate to left-center is 386 feet, 418 feet to dead centerfield, and 392 feet to right center field.

“It’s too big, in my opinion. It’s huge,” said Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson, whose team just concluded a four-game series against the Marlins in the new ballpark.

“They’ll have to figure out how to hit in it,” he said. “You tend to want to pull the ball more in a big park, because that’s where the ball goes out. That’s the way they built it, and they’ll have to deal with it.”

But don’t come to Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen with that as an excuse for the poor hitting. Guillen said the players are not making adjustments are taking the same approach each day. Guillen threatened the team with “a very drastic change” if players won’t make the necessary adjustments.

When it comes to Marlins Park, Guillen said if the players were having too much trouble, then leave.

“If they don’t want to hit here, call your agent and get traded,” Guillen said. “I don’t see any problem with the other team. They’re kicking our butts pretty good. If that’s in your head, please tell me, and we’ll find somebody who isn’t worried about the ballpark.”

But while the Marlins have struggled at home this season, they’ve been flat out abysmal on the road. In 2012, the Marlins are just 2-9 on the road and have a team batting average of .202, or just slightly above the Mendoza line.

Hanley Ramirez is hitting .207 after going through a recent 0-26 slump and Stanton has just one home run on the season. Jose Reyes is batting .220 from the leadoff position and the number two batter in the order, Emilio Bonifacio, is hitting just .244 on the season.

There has been talk already about moving the fences in Marlins Park, but hitting struggle often happen in a new stadium. Reyes dealt with the same problem when Citi Field opened in 2009. Citi Field’s fences were lowered and brought in this season.

Still, Marlins catcher John Buck said it’s just something the team will have to overcome.

“We’re going to have to deal with it,” said catcher John Buck, who was batting .200. “The only thing we can control is our approach — just put the ball in play a little more consistently, and not worry about the field or the dimensions, because they’re obviously not going to change this year.”

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

The Marlins bats have been cold as of late and that was readily evident in the Marlins loss to the D-Backs. Left-hander Patrick Corbin was called up from AA Mobile and proceeded to pitch 5.2 innings while giving up just three runs while striking out six.

It’s been a complete team effort in losing the last eight of nine games for the Marlins. Closer Heath Bell was expected to be the hammer to shut the door on teams, but so far in the young season, he’s been serving up more cheese than Kraft.

On Monday, Bell gave up two runs in the ninth inning in a non-save situation. The poor performance sent his ERA for the season to a staggering 10.80.

Marlins starter Mark Buehrle also struggled giving up seven runs, four of them earned, and eight hits in the loss.

Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen was asked about the fans booing the Marlins after the game.

“Can you blame them?” Ozzie asked rhetorically. “I was booing too.”

The Marlins had a chance to get back in the game in the first inning when they loaded the bases with one out, only to see Omar Infante hit a screamer that barely made it to the mound and ended up being a double-play to get the D-Backs out of the inning.

Miami would never seriously threaten the Diamondbacks again.

The Marlins’ Austin Kearns did hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning to bring the Marlins close, but after Bell gave up two in the ninth; the game was all but decided.

Thanks to the retractable roof on the Marlins’ new ballpark, a rainout may have been averted for a second day in a row. Announced attendance was 31,008, and the afternoon crowd included thousands of school groups that generated a high-pitched din throughout the game.

There were jeers from the adults in the stands during Arizona’s five-run fourth inning.

Jose Reyes was back in the leadoff spot after being dropped to second for two games, but none of manager Ozzie Guillen’s lineup changes seem to help. The Marlins fell to 2-6 against left-handers with a batting average of .188.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

The Marlins sent outfielder Chris Coghlan and left handed reliever Mike Dunn were both sent down to AAA New Orleans Sunday after the Marlins lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks, 8-4.

Coghlan had been in the majors since opening day as a left-handed outfielder who could play all three positions. The former NL Rookie of the Year went 4-34 (.118) in 19 games.

Dunn gave up three runs in 0.2 innings pitched Sunday which sent his ERA to 9.53 in 5.2 innings pitched in eight appearances.

With roster spots open, the Marlins called up outfielder Bryan Petersen from New Orleans. Petersen has played in 22 games and has hit .316 with 8 RBI’s on the young season.

The Marlins also called up pitcher Dan Jennings, a lefty. He’s pitched 8.2 innings and has a 2.08 ERA in the time he’s pitched.

Miley (3-0) gave up one hit and an unearned run in 6 1-3 innings to lower his ERA to 1.29. He also singled and scored the game’s first run.

The retractable roof over the Marlins’ new ballpark averted a rainout, because showers fell all day. But even inside, it was a gloomy afternoon for the home team, and boos rained down from the crowd of 34,918 during Arizona’s five-run sixth inning.

The Marlins trailed 8-0 before they managed their first hit in the sixth inning, a leadoff double by John Buck. Miami has lost seven of its past eight games.

Slideshow: Marlins Fall To Diamondbacks

Gerardo Parra had two singles, two walks, a stolen base, a run and an RBI for the Diamondbacks. Teammate Aaron Hill had two hits and has reached base in 17 consecutive games.

Arizona came into the game batting .204 with runners in scoring position but went 6 for 16 in those situations.

Miami ace Josh Johnson (0-3) had another poor outing. He struck out eight but allowed 10 hits and five runs in 5 1-3 innings, and opponents are batting .350 against the 2010 NL ERA leader.

Giancarlo Stanton hit a three-run homer, his first this season, in the Miami ninth. He also drove in a run with a groundout.

Miley retired the first 11 batters before Hanley Ramirez reached when his grounder was mishandled by third baseman Cody Ransom. Buck’s double prompted a standing ovation from the crowd, but Miley retired the next three batters.

The left-hander departed after the Diamondbacks committed two errors in the seventh. He struck out six and walked two.

Kubel had three hits, including a two-run double, and contributed two key defensive plays in the fifth inning. Stanton sent Kubel to the base of the left-field fence to catch a fly. Kubel then made a running grab of a fly by Gaby Sanchez, and Omar Infante — running from first base because he thought the ball was going to drop — was doubled off to end the inning.

Miami’s slumping 1-2-3 hitters — Emilio Bonifacio, Jose Reyes and Ramirez — failed to get the ball out of the infield in 10 at-bats. The Marlins’ batting average against left-handers fell to .169.

The Diamondbacks took a 1-0 lead in the third on consecutive singles by Miley, Willie Bloomquist and Parra. They added two runs in the fifth on a walk and consecutive singles by Justin Upton, Kubel and Miguel Montero.

Bloomquist’s RBI single in the sixth chased Johnson from the game. Two-out, two-run doubles by Kubel and Ransom capped a five-run inning and made it 8-0. The Diamondbacks had a 12-0 advantage in hits at that point.

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The Diamondbacks failed to get another hit against Miami starter Anibal Sanchez and three relievers after two doubles and a single in the first inning. Miami rallied from the early deficit and won 3-2 on Hanley Ramirez’s walkoff single in the ninth.

“We got a couple of runs early on (Sanchez) but he really settled down and threw the ball well,” Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. “You’ve got to tip your hat to him on that.”

The Diamondbacks struck quickly on Gerardo Parra’s first-inning RBI double. Miguel Montero’s run-scoring single drove in Parra for a 2-0 Arizona lead. Arizona loaded the bases with two out but Sanchez avoided additional trouble as he struck out Ryan Roberts to end the inning.

Sanchez settled down after the difficult first inning and retired the final 18 consecutive hitters he faced. Sanchez allowed three hits, walked four and struck out a career-best 14.

“He mixed it up and stayed around the plate,” said Justin Upton, who went 0 for 3 with a walk and struck out three times. “He was pounding it, working fast and missing barrels.”

Ramirez’s line drive to left off reliever Brad Ziegler broke a 2-2 tie and scored Giancarlo Stanton after he reached on a one-out infield single and advanced to second on Emilio Bonifacio’s grounder to first. Ziegler (0-1) intentionally walked Jose Reyes to face Ramirez.

An excited Ramirez jumped as he reached first base and slammed his helmet to the ground.

“It pumped me up,” Ramirez said of being pitched to instead of Reyes. “I knew what they were trying to do but at the same time I told myself, ‘shorten your swing down and stay through the middle.’”

Gibson defended the decision to walk Reyes.

“I felt that Reyes is a slap (hitter) who can run,” Gibson said. “It gave us a forceout at any base as well. Ziegler didn’t get the pitch where we wanted to. It didn’t work out for us”

Steve Cishek (2-0) earned the win with a perfect ninth for Miami.

“This game was big for us and the way we won it,” Miami manager Ozzie Guillen said. “It was big for the players. It brought their emotion back. Games like that can get you going.”

Logan Morrison hit a leadoff homer in the eighth to tie it 2-2, driving Arizona reliever David Hernandez’s pitch over the right-field fence for his second home run of the season.

The Marlins broke out of an 18-inning scoreless drought on Reyes’ RBI single in the bottom of the seventh. Reyes drove in pinch-hitter Omar Infante, who reached on a leadoff triple to deep center.

Arizona starter Ian Kennedy left after surrendering Reyes’ single. Kennedy pitched 6 1-3 innings, allowed one run and seven hits, walked two and struck out five.

“It was a battle trying to throw strikes,” Kennedy said. “I don’t know. I wasn’t very efficient pitches-wise. I think halfway through I looked up and I had about 50-50 balls and strikes.”

Sanchez settled down after the difficult first inning and retired the final 18 consecutive hitters he faced. Sanchez allowed three hits, walked four and his strikeout total was a career best.

“I made the adjustments right away,” Sanchez said. “I threw the ball down and kept it in the zone. I tried to keep the score like that and wait for the hitters to wake up a little bit to tie the game or go ahead.”

Upton’s one-out walk in the eighth gave Arizona its first baserunner since Sanchez walked Willie Bloomquist with two out in the second.

(©2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

That’s how bad things are going for the Marlins these days.

Joe Saunders pitched a three-hitter, Jason Kubel tied a career best with four hits and the Arizona Diamondbacks sent Miami to its sixth straight loss with a 5-0 victory on Friday night.

“To be honest with you, everybody’s struggling,” Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said after a quick postgame clubhouse meeting. “I’m not going to point fingers toward anyone. I just told the guys, I lose games, you guys win. … If we had a bad ballclub, I’d say it was going to be tough. But I know in my heart, in my brains, in my soul, we’ve got a great ballclub.”

The Marlins have scored six runs and managed only 28 hits during their losing streak. Reyes, the Marlins’ shortstop, was given the night off after batting .205 in Miami’s first 18 games.

Kubel extended his hitting streak to 10 games, his average over that stretch going from .200 to .333. Miguel Montero drove in three runs and Aaron Hill homered for Arizona.

Saunders (2-1) struck out four and walked two, getting the third shutout of his career and dropping his ERA from 1.29 to 0.90.

“A combination of a good pitcher on the mound and a really bad hitting team right now,” Guillen said.

Emilio Bonifacio narrowly beat out an infield single with two out in the ninth before Saunders struck out Donnie Murphy to close the win.

“I was making good pitches and I was just fortunate they were hitting it at my defense,” Saunders said. “My defense was awesome. It was a great night all-around.”

On a day where Miami team president David Samson ran the equivalent of two marathons — 52.4 miles — the Marlins failed to get a runner past first base.

“I guarantee they will score before I run another marathon,” Samson said after his daylong run that raised $550,000 for charity. “We’re obviously struggling, but it’s a long season.”

Miami starter Carlos Zambrano (0-2) pitched six innings, giving up three runs and 10 hits. The Diamondbacks had 15 hits, leaving 12 runners on base.

Saunders got into trouble only once, that coming not because of the Marlins getting hits off him — but actually hitting him.

A comebacker by Hanley Ramirez bounced off Saunders in the fourth inning. He managed to scurry for the ball and threw over to first to beat Ramirez, then limped into the Arizona dugout while grimacing in obvious pain.

But in the fifth, Saunders came back out to the mound, showing no ill effects. And his offense was giving him all the support he needed.

“You always want to get off to a good start especially on an 11-day, 10-game road trip like we’re on now,” Saunders said. “You always want to go out there and get the road trip off on a good start and hopefully save the bullpen.”

In April 2011, Saunders went 0-3 with a 5.93 ERA, as teams hit .333 against him in 27 1-3 innings. So far this season, opponents are batting .186 off Saunders.

“He’s been great, very consistent,” Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. “He’s taken the ball every fifth day and is really dominant with his stuff.”

The Diamondbacks had only five instances of someone having a three-hit effort in their first 19 games. They had both Kubel and Hill get there in the first six innings on Friday, as Zambrano flirted with big trouble for much of his night.

He allowed the last three batters he faced in the first inning to reach, getting out of it only when Kubel was caught in a rundown between second and third for the third out after Montero’s single drove Justin Upton home. Hill led off the second inning with a single, followed by walks to Lyle Overbay and Ryan Roberts.

Saunders followed with a sacrifice fly to right, making it 2-0 — the sixth RBI of the pitcher’s career.

Zambrano gave up three more singles in the third, all of them comebackers, only to escape unscathed. Montero grounded into a 5-4-3 double play, and Roberts flied out three batters later to end the threat. That appeared to settle Zambrano down, until Hill sent a 1-2 pitch over the left-field wall to start the sixth.

“There’s nothing you can do about it. Just come tomorrow and play,” Zambrano said. “The good thing about this is tomorrow’s another day. It’s not like this team isn’t capable of doing a lot of things. Just a bad start.”

Jose Reyes singled with one out in the Marlins’ eighth inning for his first hit against his former team in eight at-bats, eliciting yet another chorus of lusty boos from the crowd that once adored the ever-smiling shortstop.

Lucas Duda had an RBI single and pinch-hitter Mike Baxter hit a two-run double in the eighth, helping hand the Marlins their fourth straight loss. Miami has scored only four runs in the skid.

Wright’s homer gave him 735 RBIs and broke a tie with Darryl Strawberry for the team lead.

In contrast to the matchup of aces Johan Santana and Josh Johnson on Tuesday night that the Mets ended up winning 2-1, Dickey (3-1) and Buehrle (1-3) rarely reached 85 mph on the scoreboard radar. Dickey allowed three hits and a walk, and struck out seven.

Both starters were hurt by the homer, though.

Omar Infante connected in the fifth for the Marlins’ second hit and Wright in the sixth, the Mets’ fourth hit of the game. Wright had matched Strawberry a week ago on the club’s RBIs chart.

Jon Rauch gave up a one-out hit in the eighth to Reyes with the Mets ahead 2-1. Having seen what the dynamic speedster could do on the bases might have spooked catcher Josh Thole. On a called third strike of Hanley Ramirez to end the inning, Thole threw down to second where no one was covering — his teammates were running off the field.

With the weather more to his liking, Dickey bounced back from a horrid outing in rainy Atlanta in which he gave up three homers and eight runs in 4 1-3 innings.

After breezing through the first 4 1-3 innings this time, allowing only a hit that nicked off the glove of diving third baseman Wright, the knuckleballer gave up a homer to Infante.

Infante connected to deep left, ending a string of 10 straight outs for Miami. Reyes was right there at the top step of the Marlins dugout to greet the second baseman with one of his elaborate handshakes that Mets fans loved to see when he was playing in Queens.

The homer snapped Miami’s stretch without an earned run against Dickey at 24 innings. He was 3-0 in three starts against the Marlins last season, allowing only one unearned run.

Dickey had a 1-2-3 sixth, then Buehrle hit Kirk Nieuwenhuis with a pitch leading off the bottom half. With two outs, Wright sent a drive to center field that cleared the new fences — but would’ve hit the old green-black wall — to make it 2-1. Wright was 2 for 20 before that homer.

Buehrle was facing the Mets for the first time in a 12-plus year career spent entirely with the Chicago White Sox until signing a free-agent deal this winter to follow his former manager to Miami. Pitching on six days’ rest he gave up five hits and two runs.

Buehrle got some help from Gaby Sanchez in the fourth. With a runner on first and two outs, he made a diving stop behind first base on Duda’s sharp grounder to end the inning.

(© 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)