I was looking over old articles about the team, and stumbled across an article about Marlins in 2004. Can you guess who were the players of the game? At this point in the season of 2004 we were only 2 games back in the wild card race. :banghead

 

 

I know not to cry over spilled milk but I can't help but get sad. Well anyways, here is the article so you guys can also enjoy it, maybe it'll bring some good memories back.

 

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MIAMI -- A four-day layoff failed to cool off the Florida Marlins, who eagerly resumed their late-season surge Tuesday night.

 

Idle last weekend because of Hurricane Frances, the Marlins looked rested rather than rusty and extended their longest winning streak since 1997 to eight games by beating the New York Mets 7-3.

 

A.J. Burnett allowed two hits in 6 1/3 innings and Miguel Cabrera hit a tape-measure homer for the Marlins, who climbed nine games above .500 for the first time since May.

 

"It's a blast," Burnett said. "Hopefully we'll take 15 in a row."

 

New York allowed two unearned runs, totaled three hits and lost its 10th straight game.

 

The winning streak by the defending World Series champions has put them back in the playoff race. With the Chicago Cubs losing to Montreal, the Marlins are now just two games back for the NL wild card.

 

"I don't want to go home. After Oct. 28 I'll go home," Cabrera said. "It's like we played last year. We're playing as a team. Now nobody can stop us."

 

Frances washed out a big weekend series against the Cubs and left the Marlins with 30 games to play in the final 27 days of the regular season.

 

"We kind of had a second All-Star break," Burnett said. "It rejuvenated us."

 

Florida built a 5-0 lead against Tom Glavine (9-12), who lasted just five innings. He has lost five consecutive decisions against the Marlins, and he's 2-5 since the All-Star break.

 

Burnett (6-6), pitching on eight days' rest, walked five and hit one but still beat the Mets for the first time in his career after five losses. Throwing at up to 99 mph, he allowed three runs, including one in the sixth when he walked three batters and hit one.

 

Closer Armando Benitez needed just five pitches in a perfect ninth. Opponents are hitless in their past 33 at-bats against him.

 

Juan Pierre led off the Florida first with a double to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. He later scored on Cabrera's sacrifice fly.

 

Cabrera made it 3-0 in the third with a two-run homer estimated at 471 feet that easily cleared the scoreboard. The homer, his 28th of the year, was the longest at Pro Player Stadium this season and the fourth-longest by the Marlins at their ballpark.

 

"It felt good when I hit it," Cabrera said. "But it just counts as one home run."

 

Alex Gonzalez barely missed a home run in the sixth when his long drive hooked foul. He hit the next pitch for his career-high 19th homer.

 

The Marlins' winning streak is their longest since May 11-20, 1997 -- the year they won their first World Series title. They have won nine in a row against the Mets and lead the season series 14-3.

 

"It's not like we're losing to a Little League team out there," New York catcher Vance Wilson said. "That's the team that won a World Series title last year. Maybe we should strive more to be like them."

 

The only hit off Burnett through six innings was Danny Garcia 's single leading off the fourth. The right-hander needed 29 pitches to get through the sixth, when the Mets scored on David Wright 's sacrifice fly. Richard Hidalgo struck out looking with the bases loaded to end the inning.

 

"I felt strong, but I had a lapse toward the end," Burnett said. "Then I had no idea where the ball was going. I got out of the groove and never found it."

 

In the seventh, Mike Piazza led off with a single, and Vance Wilson walked with one out to end Burnett's night. Wilson Delgado hit an RBI double off Rudy Seanez, and another run scored on Eric Valent's groundout.

 

Florida made it 6-3 in the seventh when Cameron dropped a fly in deep center, allowing Juan Encarnacion to score from second.

 

"It didn't go in my glove the way it's supposed to," Cameron said.

 

The Marlins also scored an unearned run in the fourth, when second baseman Garcia made an errant throw trying to turn a double play.

 

"If you look at the way we're playing, it's why we're sitting here having lost 10 in a row," Glavine said.

Notes

 

* Piazza said he aggravated his sore left knee when he went down to field a lineout at first base in the sixth inning, but he stayed in the game.

* Glavine fell to 6-13 lifetime in Miami with an ERA of 4.51. ... The Marlins will try to match the longest winning streak in franchise history Wednesday. They won nine in a row May 6-14, 1996.

* With his single in the seventh, Piazza improved to 4-for-29 (.138) against Burnett.

 

AP NEWS

The Associated Press News Service

 

Copyright 2004, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SOURCE

I remember September 2004 like it was yesterday. It was as if the entire universe came together to put every possible obstacle in the way of the Marlins repeating.

 

But on to happier reading, there a whole bunch of new articles online at flamarlins.com just posted today. Check them out.

 

Baseball my friends is just around the corner. :brigginbounce

man this month is going to draaaaaag.

Baseball my friends is just around the corner. :brigginbounce

 

Hallelujah :marlins