Posted May 14, 200618 yr Moehler's 22-game winless streak ends as Marlins rout Pirates PITTSBURGH -- Brian Moehler doesn't have to talk about his long winless streak any longer. Moehler won for the first time in 23 games since last July, taking a shutout into the eighth inning as the Florida Marlins opened an early eight-run lead in beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-2 Sunday. Miguel Cabrera, the only proven veteran hitter in a Marlins lineup that features mostly rookies, hit a three-run homer during a five-run second inning against Ian Snell (2-3) that helped make it 8-0. Joe Borchard hit a solo drive in the first. Snell hadn't allowed an earned run in his two previous starts at home, only to give up seven runs and seven hits in 1 1/3 innings. Those are numbers more often associated with Moehler (1-4), who came into the game without a win since July 20 and had some of the worst numbers of any starting pitcher in the majors -- an 0-4 record, 9.76 ERA and .368 opponents batting average. But he was in control from the start against the Pirates, who now own the NL's worst record at 11-27. Moehler lost his chance for his first shutout since 1999 when Jose Bautista hit his second career homer, and second of the series, leading off the eighth -- Pittsburgh's first extra-base hit. Moehler was lifted after giving up eight hits and two runs, striking out one and walking one in 7 1/3 innings. By losing two of three to the last team in the majors to reach double figures in victories, the Pirates extended what has become the franchise's second-worst start since the 19th century. Only the 1952 Pirates had a worse record (7-31) to this point than these Pirates -- and they went on to win only 42 of 154 games. The 1890 Pittsburgh Alleghenies, the forerunners to the Pirates, were 9-28-1 after 38 games. That the Pirates were dominated by one of the majors' least-effective starting pitchers only illustrates how poorly they have played. Moehler (1-4) hadn't won in 14 starts and eight relief appearances since July 20, going 0-10 with an 8.27 ERA overall and 0-9 with an 8.61 ERA in his starts. The Marlins were 3-19 during the right-handed Moehler's winless streak and were 1-9 in his last 10 starts. By contrast, Snell looked to be settling down following a rough start this season, giving up five earned runs over his previous four starts. But he retired only four of the 14 batters he faced, giving up the Borchard homer, three singles, walking two, allowing a stolen base and throwing a wild pitch -- and that was only the first inning. In the second, Hanley Rammer singled for the second of his three hits and Dan Uggla walked ahead of Cabrera's sixth homer. After Snell was lifted, Miguel Olivo had a two-run double off reliever Ryan Vogelsong. Notes The Marlins won a series in Pittsburgh for the first time since 2001. They had been 2-12 there over the last five seasons before winning the final two games of the series. ... Ramirez really was the Marlins' leadoff batter -- he lead off an inning each of the five times he batted. ... Ramirez had eight hits in the series. ... Pirates C Humberto Cota was lifted to start the third because of a bruised right knee. :lol :lol Congrats Moe, this may be the only highlight for you this season. Yea it was against the horrible Pirates but you did pitch well!
