Phillies Hook the Marlins

Scott Rolen`s dog played a huge role in helping him break a four-game hitless streak. Rolen snapped an 0-for-19 slump with a homer and two-run double and Jimmy Rollins drove in the go-ahead run with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Florida Marlins 7-6 Tuesday night.

Doug Glanville also had three RBIs for the Phillies, who improved to 6-2 and moved into a tie with Montreal for first place in the NL East.

"It feels nice to have some feeling of success since I haven`t done anything the last four games," said Rolen, who joked that his dog helped him break the slump by making him relax. "I was trying to keep a positive frame of mind out there but it`s difficult when you continue to fail."

The Phillies, who swept a season-opening, three-game series in Florida, have won five straight against the Marlins.

Pinch-hitter David Newhan led off the eighth with a double off Antonio Alfonseca (0-1), who hadn`t pitched since opening day. He moved to third on a sacrifice by Glanville and scored on Rollins` fly to right.

"I was just looking to hit it hard somewhere and I hit another one of my spectacular fly balls," said Rollins, who is batting just .182 and has several fly outs to the warning track this season.

Wayne Gomes (1-0) allowed one hit in 1 1-3 innings. Jose Mesa pitched a hitless ninth for his third save in four chances.

Charles Johnson hit a three-run homer and Derek Lee added a solo shot for Florida.

"We`ve got to find a way to get out of this," Lee said.

Marlins starter Vladimir Nunez allowed two runs and six hits in five innings. He walked two, struck out two and left with a 5-2 lead.

Philadelphia scored four off Vic Darensbourg in the sixth. Glanville cut it to 5-4 with a two-run single. After a two-out walk to Bobby Abreu, Rolen hit a two-run double in the left-field corner off Braden Looper, giving the Phillies a 6-5 lead.

"I started settling in after I thought of Enis," Rolen said of his dog. "He brings me to a better place."

The Marlins tied it at 6 on a RBI double by Preston Wilson off Gomes in the seventh. Luis Castillo walked off Rheal Cormier to start the seventh and scored on Wilson`s shot off the left-center field wall.

Nunez, who was 2-0 with a 1.99 ERA in the spring, hasn`t won a start since beating Montreal on Sept. 28, 1999 while he was with Arizona. The 26-year-old right-hander was 0-6 with a 8.35 ERA in 12 starts for Florida last year.

Amaury Telemaco, who earned the No. 5 spot in the Phillies` rotation by posting a 2.25 ERA this spring, struggled in his first start. He allowed four runs and seven hits in four innings.

"Telemaco was a little off with his location," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said. "He left his slider over the middle of the plate to Johnson, but he kept us in there."

Johnson gave Florida a 3-0 lead on a three-run homer in the first -- his first of the season. Castillo made it 4-0 with a RBI triple in the fourth.

The Phillies cut it to 4-2 with solo homers by Glanville and Rolen in the fifth. All eight of Philadelphia`s home runs this season have been solo shots.

Lee led off the sixth with a homer off Chris Brock, giving the Marlins a 5-2 lead.

"It`s a concern when you lose close games," Marlins manager John Boles said of his team, which has lost four one-run games to the Phillies. "It`s tough to get over the hump. It`s just one of those things."

Notes:
Nunez had been 0-4 with a 6.50 ERA against the Phillies before Tuesday`s start. ... The Phillies had six infield singles, including a bunt hit by Marlon Anderson. ... Five of Rolen`s six hits this season are extra-base hits. ... Pat Burrell struck out two times and has fanned 17 times in 31 at-bats. ... Phillies RF Bobby Abreu made a sliding, backhand grab to rob Eric Owens of extra bases in the seventh.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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Author: 6 ABC - Action News (AP)