Phillies Sweep Marlins in Doubleheader

The Philadelphia Phillies are back on top of the NL East for at least one more day.

The Phillies were swept at home earlier in the week by the Atlanta Braves, who passed the Phillies by a half-game on Wednesday after trailing by eight on June 1. But the Phillies swept a doubleheader with the Florida Marlins on Thursday, winning 6-5 and 8-7 to pull into a tie with the Braves for first place.

"That says a lot about this team," said closer Jose Mesa, who came in for saves in both games to give him 20 for the season. "After that terrible sweep by the Braves, we came out and got two."

The Phillies, who lost five of their previous six games, got three hits from Doug Glanville in the opener. Bobby Abreu hit a two-run homer in the eighth to break a tie.

"We`ve had a pretty bad month," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said of his team`s 10-16 record in June. "Hopefully, this will lead to something."

In the first game, Florida took a 3-0 lead in the first on Cliff Floyd`s three-run homer. Down 5-4, the Phillies took the lead for good in the fourth on Jimmy Rollins` RBI single and Scott Rolen`s sacrifice fly.

Robert Person (6-5) gave up five runs and six hits in six innings, his first start since a six-game suspension imposed for throwing at Arizona`s Reggie Sanders on May 13. Marlins starter Ryan Dempster (8-8) allowed six runs and 11 hits in 6 2-3 innings.

In the nightcap, Abreu, who also homered in the first game and has 15 for the season, homered after Rollins singled with one out. Rheal Cormier (4-1) pitched 1 1-3 innings, giving up one hit and striking out three with two walks.

Dave Berg hit a leadoff homer in the Marlins` ninth, but Mesa retired the side for his 20th save.

Braden Looper (3-3) pitched the eighth for the Marlins, who dropped to 3½ back of the division leaders. Florida has eight of 10 against the Phillies this season.

"They give us trouble because they score runs and make big plays against us," Marlins manager Tony Perez said. "But either game could have gone our way."

The Phillies scored three times in the first of Game 2 on an RBI double by Rolen and a two-run single by Pat Burrell. They made it 4-0 in the third when Rolen reached on an error, stole second and scored on a single by Travis Lee.

Florida came back by batting around in a five-run fifth. Alex Gonzalez and Eric Owens had RBI doubles, John Mabry had a two-run single and Berg added a sacrifice fly.

The Phillies took a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run double by Marlon Anderson. Derrek Lee homered in the sixth to tie it. He was 3-for-4, including a double, and scored twice.

Philadelphia starter David Coggin, activated between games of the doubleheader, retired the first 10 batters he faced and finished with a career-high six strikeouts in 4 2-3 innings.

Marlins starter Matt Clement went just 3 1-3 innings, giving up four runs. He left with tightness in his right forearm.

Notes: In the fourth inning of Game 1, Rollins stole his 20th straight base, the first Phillies player to do it since Bowa in 1974. Rollins leads the league with 25 steals. ... Derrek Lee has eight homers at Veterans Stadium, the most he has in any visiting park. ... Mesa has recorded two saves in a day three times. The first two, with Cleveland, came in 1995 against the New York Yankees and Oakland.

Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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Author: 6 ABC - Action News (AP)