NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISIONAL SERIES


    Florida Marlins vs. Houston Astros  

Game 1:  Josh Beckett vs. Roy Oswalt, Minute Maid Park

OSWALT, ASTROS BLANK MARLINS IN NLDS OPENER
 Astros Hurlers Fan 13



HOUSTON, Sept. 30 (AP) - Roy Oswalt struck out 10 batters in seven-plus innings of work and the Houston Astros shut out the Florida Marlins, 5-0, in the National League Divisional Series opener at Minute Maid Park.  Houston got to Marlins starter Josh Beckett early and often, driving him from the mound in the fourth inning en route to the comfortable victory.

The Astros scored all the runs they would need in the bottom of the very first inning.  With one out, Morgan Ensberg drew a walk and Jeff Bagwell followed with a home run into the Crawford Boxes in left field for a 2-0 lead.

Houston added a run in the second.  Craig Biggio doubled to left-center field with two out and Ensberg followed with a single to right, scoring Biggio to make it 3-0.

In the third, the Astros took firm command, adding two more runs.  Jeff Kent led off by reaching on an infield hit.  One out later, Lance Berkman doubled to left-center, chasing Kent to third.  Brad Ausmus followed by a shooting a ball into right field for a hit, scoring both runners.  Ausmus was thrown out at second trying to advance to second when the relay throw to the plate was cut off.

Houston appeared poised to extend its lead in the fourth.  After Oswalt struck out, Biggio walked and Ensberg singled to left, ending Beckett's stint on the mound.  Chad Fox came on for the Marlins and immediately induced an around the horn double play grounder off the bat of Bagwell to end the inning.

Oswalt, meanwhile, was consistently keeping the Marlins at bay, scattering five hits through seven innings and never allowing a runner past second base.  He struck out the side in the second and fanned at least one batter in each of the first seven innings other than the third.

In the seventh, Oswalt yielded a lead-off bloop single to Luis Castillo and then walked Ivan Rodriguez.  Manager Jimy Williams called on Octavio Dotel to replace Oswalt on the mound.  Dotel struck out Mike Lowell for the first out of the inning but then walked Derek Lee to fill the bases.  But Dotel jammed Miguel Cabrera with a pitch, inducing a tapper back to the mound.  Dotel threw to catcher Ausmus for the force at the plate and the relay to first doubled up Cabrera, ending Florida's best scoring opportunity of the game.

Billy Wagner came on to pitch the ninth inning for the Astros and retired the Marlins in order to close out the contest, striking out two.  In all, Florida batters fanned 13 times in the game.
9/30/2003, Fla03-Hou03, Minute Maid Park
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
2003 Marlins           0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0     0  6  0     9  2
2003 Astros            2  1  2  0  0  0  0  0  x     5 11  0     9  1
 
Marlins              AB  R  H BI   AVG    Astros               AB  R  H BI   AVG
Pierre            cf  4  0  0  0  .000    Biggio            cf  3  1  2  0  .667
Castillo,L        2b  4  0  1  0  .250    Ensberg           3b  4  1  3  1  .750
Rodriguez,I       c   2  0  0  0  .000    Bagwell           1b  4  1  1  2  .250
Lowell            3b  3  0  1  0  .333    Kent              2b  4  1  1  0  .250
Lee,De            1b  3  0  1  0  .333    Hidalgo           rf  4  0  1  0  .250
Cabrera,M         lf  4  0  0  0  .000    Berkman           lf  2  1  1  0  .500
Encarnacion       rf  4  0  0  0  .000    Ausmus            c   4  0  1  2  .250
Gonzalez,A        ss  4  0  1  0  .250    Everett,A         ss  3  0  0  0  .000
Beckett           p   1  0  1  0 1.000    Oswalt            p   3  0  0  0  .000
 Fox,C            p   0  0  0  0  .000     Dotel            p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Harris,L         ph  1  0  0  0  .000     Merced           ph  1  0  1  0 1.000
 Helling          p   0  0  0  0  .000     Wagner,B         p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Hollandsworth    ph  1  0  1  0 1.000                         32  5 11  5
 Phelps,T         p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Tejera           p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Conine           ph  1  0  0  0  .000
                     32  0  6  0
 
Marlins                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Beckett          L 0-1           3.1  8  5  5  3  3  74  44 13.50
Fox,C                            0.2  0  0  0  0  0   4   4  0.00
Helling                          2.0  1  0  0  1  3  45  22  0.00
Phelps,T                         1.1  2  0  0  0  1  23  17  0.00
Tejera                           0.2  0  0  0  0  0   7   4  0.00
                                 8.0 11  5  5  4  7 153  91
 
Astros                           INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Oswalt           W 1-0           7.0  6  0  0  2 10 107  68  0.00
Dotel                            1.0  0  0  0  1  1  15   7  0.00
Wagner,B                         1.0  0  0  0  0  2   9   8  0.00
                                 9.0  6  0  0  3 13 131  83
 
Fla: Harris,L batted for Fox,C in the 5th
     Hollandsworth batted for Helling in the 7th
     Conine batted for Tejera in the 9th
Hou: Merced batted for Dotel in the 8th
 
2B-Beckett(1), Biggio(1), Hidalgo(1), Berkman(1). HR-Bagwell(1).
RBI-Ensberg(1), Bagwell 2(2), Ausmus 2(2). K-Castillo,L, Lowell 2, Lee,De 2,
Cabrera,M 2, Encarnacion 2, Gonzalez,A 3, Harris,L, Bagwell, Kent, Hidalgo,
Berkman, Everett,A, Oswalt 2. BB-Rodriguez,I 2, Lee,De, Biggio, Ensberg,
Berkman 2. HBP-Lowell, Biggio, Everett,A. HB-Helling 2, Oswalt.
GWRBI: Bagwell
Temperature: 88, Sky: clear, Wind: out to left at 13 MPH.
Attendance: 40,980
Game Time: 2:53

Game 2:  Carl Pavano vs. Wade Miller, Minute Maid Park

MARLINS EVEN SERIES BEHIND PAVANO, BULLPEN
 Fox, Urbina Combine for 3 Scorless Innings

HOUSTON, Oct. 1 (AP) - Carl Pavano allowed two runs over six innings of work and Chad Fox and Ugueth Urbina combined for three innings of shutout relief as the Florida Marlins upended the Houston Astros 4-2 at Minute Maid Park to even their National League Divisional Series.  Derrek Lee and Alex Gonzalez both hit solo home runs for the Marlins.

Pavano, who won the NL ERA title during the regular season, yielded a lead-off home run to the Astros Craig Biggio in the bottom of the first, but otherwise was strong in a must-win game for the Marlins.

After falling behind on the Biggio home run, the Marlins took the lead in the top of the third.  Alex Gonzalez led off with a double against Houston starter Wade Miller, Florida's first hit of the contest.  Pavano sacrificed Gonzalez to third and Juan Pierre followed by roping a two-bagger into the right field corner, scoring Gonzalez to tie the game.  Luis Castillo grounded to second, advancing Pierre to third and Ivan Rodriguez followed with a single to center, giving the Marlins a 2-1 advantage.

Pavano fought control problems off and on throughout the contest and issued consecutive bases on balls to Jeff Kent and Lance Berkman to open the fourth but Richard Hidalgo bounced into a double play and Brad Ausmus struck out to end the threat.

Another double play extracted Pavano from trouble in the fifth.  Miller shocked everyone by doubling to right-center with one out and Biggio walked but Morgan Ensberg grounded into a 3-6-3 double play to end the inning.

The Astros finally drew even in the sixth.  Jeff Bagwell opened the inning with a base hit.  Jeff Kent followed by grounding back to Pavano who had trouble finding a handle on the ball before gaining the force out at second.  The inability to turn the team's third double play in as many innings would be costly for the Marlins.  After Berkman flied out, Hidalgo doubled to the right-center field gap, scoring Kent and tying the game.

Miller fell behind Lee to start the seventh and grooved a 3-1 pitch that ended up hitting the facade above the Crawford Boxes in left field for a home run and a 3-2 Marlins lead.  Dan Miceli replaced Miller and retired Juan Encarnacion on a fly ball but Gonzalez crushed a pitch onto the railroad tracks above the left field pavilion for a tape measure home run and 4-2 Florida advantage.

That would be all the Marlins would need.  Chad Fox replaced Pavano to open the seventh and retired all six batters he faced.  Ugueth Urbina took over in the ninth, surrendered a one-out single to Hidalgo, but then set down Ausmus and Jose Vizcaino to record the save.

The series now moves to Miami, all tied at one game apiece.
10/1/2003, Fla03-Hou03, Minute Maid Park
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
2003 Marlins           0  0  2  0  0  0  2  0  0     4  7  0     4  2
2003 Astros            1  0  0  0  0  1  0  0  0     2  6  1     6  0
 
Marlins              AB  R  H BI   AVG    Astros               AB  R  H BI   AVG
Pierre            cf  4  1  1  1  .125    Biggio            cf  3  1  1  1  .500
Castillo,L        2b  4  0  0  0  .125    Ensberg           3b  4  0  1  0  .500
Rodriguez,I       c   4  0  1  1  .167    Bagwell           1b  4  0  1  0  .250
Lowell            3b  4  0  2  0  .429    Kent              2b  3  1  0  0  .143
Cabrera,M         lf  4  0  0  0  .000    Berkman           lf  3  0  0  0  .200
 Banks            lf  0  0  0  0  .000    Hidalgo           rf  4  0  2  1  .375
Lee,De            1b  4  1  1  1  .286    Ausmus            c   4  0  0  0  .125
Encarnacion       rf  4  0  0  0  .000    Everett,A         ss  1  0  0  0  .000
Gonzalez,A        ss  4  2  2  1  .375     Blum             ph  1  0  0  0  .000
Pavano            p   1  0  0  0  .000     Vizcaino,J       ss  1  0  0  0  .000
 Harris,L         ph  1  0  0  0  .000    Miller,W          p   2  0  1  0  .500
 Fox,C            p   0  0  0  0  .000     Miceli           p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Urbina           p   0  0  0  0  .000     Merced           ph  1  0  0  0  .500
                     34  4  7  4           Lidge            p   0  0  0  0  .000
                                           Stone            p   0  0  0  0  .000
                                                               31  2  6  2
 
Marlins                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Pavano           W 1-0           6.0  5  2  2  4  3 105  66  3.00
Fox,C            H 1             2.0  0  0  0  0  1  21  14  0.00
Urbina           S 1             1.0  1  0  0  0  0  16  10  0.00
                                 9.0  6  2  2  4  4 142  90
 
Astros                           INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Miller,W         L 0-1           6.0  5  3  3  0  6 100  62  4.50
Miceli                           1.0  1  1  1  0  1  13  10  9.00
Lidge                            1.0  1  0  0  0  1  14  11  0.00
Stone                            1.0  0  0  0  0  1  14  10  0.00
                                 9.0  7  4  4  0  9 141  93
 
Fla: Harris,L batted for Pavano in the 7th
     Banks inserted at lf in the 8th
Hou: Blum batted for Everett,A in the 7th
     Merced batted for Miceli in the 7th
     Vizcaino,J inserted at ss in the 8th
 
E-Ensberg. 2B-Pierre(1), Gonzalez,A(1), Hidalgo(2), Miller,W(1).
HR-Lee,De(1), Gonzalez,A(1), Biggio(1). RBI-Pierre(1), Rodriguez,I(1),
Lee,De(1), Gonzalez,A(1), Biggio(1), Hidalgo(1). K-Pierre, Castillo,L,
Lowell, Cabrera,M, Lee,De, Encarnacion, Gonzalez,A, Pavano, Harris,L,
Berkman, Ausmus, Miller,W, Blum. BB-Biggio, Kent, Berkman, Everett,A.
SH-Pavano.
GWRBI: Lee,De
Temperature: 84, Sky: partly cloudy, Wind: in from left at 2 MPH.
Attendance: 40,899
Game Time: 2:44

Game 3:  Tim Redding vs. Mark Redman, Pro Player Stadium

5-RUN 2ND PACES ASTROS TO 2-1 NLDS LEAD
 Marlins Staff Walks 10

MIAMI, Oct. 3 (AP) - The Houston Astros exploded for five runs with two outs in the top of the second inning, a rally keyed by starting pitcher Tim Redding, and went on to an 8-4 victory over the Florida Marlins at Pro Player Stadium.  The victory gives the Astros a 2-1 series lead.

With just an hour to go until game time, Marlins manager Jack McKeon was still undecided as to whether to start left-hander Mark Redman or right-hander Brad Penny against the predominantly right-handed Astros lineup.  Ultimately, Redman was the choice,  It was a decision that didn't work out for the Marlins.  Redman didn't make it through the second inning and the Marlins never held a lead in the game.

In the fateful top of the second, Jeff Kent led off with a single and was forced at second by Lance Berkman.  Richard Hidalgo drew a walk and Brad Ausmus grounded out to third, with the runners advancing to second and third.  Adam Everett was given an intentional walk, filling the bases for Redding.  Redman tried to slip a first pitch fastball over the plate but Redding was waiting and lined a double into the right-center field gap, clearing the bases and giving Houston a 3-0 lead.  Craig Biggio and Morgan Ensberg then drew consecutive free passes--the third and fourth walks of the inning issued by Redman--and Jeff Bagwell followed with a single to right, scoring both Redding and Biggio to increase the advantage to 5-0.  That was it for Redman; he was replaced on the mound by Rick Helling who retired Kent--the tenth hitter of the inning--on a pop fly, but the Astros had all the runs they would need.

Houston increased the lead to six in the top of the third.  Berkman led off with a triple and, after another walk to Hidalgo, Ausums singled Berkman home.

The Marlins tried to get back into the game in the bottom of the third.  Juan Pierre drew a base on balls and Luis Castillo singled him to second.  Ivan Rodgriguez then doubled to the wall in right-center field, scoring both runners to cut the deficit to 6-2.  Mike Lowell flied to deep center, allowing Rodriguez to tag and advance to third and Miguel Cabrera singled through the middle, scoring Rodriguez to make it 6-3.

But the Astros scored two more runs in the sixth off Miguel Tejera.  Ausmus drew a one-out walk and Everett homered over the out of town scoreboard in left-center field, upping the lead to 8-3.

The Marlins got a run back in the bottom of the sixth when Juan Encarnacion led off with a triple and scored one batter later on pinch hitter Brian Banks' sacrifice fly, to cut the deficit to 8-4.

Florida had one last gasp in the eighth.  Facing reliever Octavio Dotel, Derrek Lee drew a lead-off walk.  Encarnacion and Alex Gonzalez were retired, but pinch hitter Todd Hollandsworth walked and Pierre singled to left, loading the bases and bringing the tying run to the plate.  The Astros brought in their closer, Billy Wagner, and he retired Luis Castillo on a pop fly to second to end the threat.  The Marlins went down in order in the bottom of the ninth.

The Marlins, with their backs against the wall, will decide whether to go with a rested Penny or Josh Beckett on three days rest in Game 4.  Given that the Astros smacked Beckett around in the opener, Penny is widely expected to get the call.  Ron Villone will get the start for Houston.
10/3/2003, Hou03-Fla03, Pro Player Stadium
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
2003 Astros            0  5  1  0  2  0  0  0  0     8  9  0     9  0
2003 Marlins           0  0  3  0  0  1  0  0  0     4  8  1    10  2
 
Astros               AB  R  H BI   AVG    Marlins              AB  R  H BI   AVG
Biggio            cf  3  1  0  0  .333    Pierre            cf  4  1  2  0  .250
Ensberg           3b  3  0  0  0  .364    Castillo,L        2b  4  1  2  0  .250
Bagwell           1b  5  0  2  2  .308    Rodriguez,I       c   4  1  1  2  .200
Kent              2b  5  0  2  0  .250    Lowell            3b  3  0  0  0  .300
 Wagner,B         p   0  0  0  0  .000    Cabrera,M         lf  5  0  2  1  .154
Berkman           lf  5  2  1  0  .200    Lee,De            1b  3  0  0  0  .200
Hidalgo           rf  3  1  0  0  .273    Encarnacion       rf  4  1  1  0  .083
Ausmus            c   3  1  1  1  .182    Gonzalez,A        ss  4  0  0  0  .250
Everett,A         ss  4  2  2  2  .250    Redman,M          p   0  0  0  0  .000
Redding           p   3  1  1  3  .333     Helling          p   1  0  0  0  .000
 Saarloos         p   0  0  0  0  .000     Harris,L         ph  1  0  0  0  .000
 Merced           ph  0  0  0  0  .500     Tejera           p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Lidge            p   0  0  0  0  .000     Banks            ph  0  0  0  1  .000
 Dotel            p   0  0  0  0  .000     Looper,B         p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Vizcaino,J       2b  0  0  0  0  .000     Phelps,T         p   0  0  0  0  .000
                     34  8  9  8           Hollandsworth    ph  0  0  0  0 1.000
                                           Willis           p   0  0  0  0  .000
                                                               33  4  8  4
 
Astros                           INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Redding          W 1-0           5.0  6  3  3  3  7  98  57  5.40
Saarloos         H 1             1.0  1  1  1  0  0  22  16  9.00
Lidge            H 1             1.0  0  0  0  1  1  15   6  0.00
Dotel                            0.2  1  0  0  2  1  22  10  0.00
Wagner,B         S 1             1.1  0  0  0  0  0  18  11  0.00
                                 9.0  8  4  4  6  9 175 100
 
Marlins                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Redman,M         L 0-1           1.2  3  5  5  4  0  52  26 27.00
Helling                          2.1  3  1  1  2  1  36  18  2.08
Tejera                           2.0  1  2  2  2  1  37  19  6.75
Looper,B                         1.0  1  0  0  2  0  21   8  0.00
Phelps,T                         1.0  1  0  0  0  0  20  11  0.00
Willis                           1.0  0  0  0  0  0  10   7  0.00
                                 9.0  9  8  8 10  2 176  89
 
Hou: Merced batted for Saarloos in the 7th
     Vizcaino,J inserted at 2b in the 8th
Fla: Harris,L batted for Helling in the 4th
     Banks batted for Tejera in the 6th
     Hollandsworth batted for Phelps,T in the 8th
 
E-Cabrera,M. 2B-Kent(1), Redding(1), Pierre(2), Rodriguez,I(1).
3B-Berkman(1), Encarnacion(1). HR-Everett,A(1). RBI-Bagwell 2(4), Ausmus(3),
Everett,A 2(2), Redding 3(3), Rodriguez,I 2(3), Cabrera,M(1), Banks(1).
K-Ensberg, Hidalgo, Rodriguez,I, Lowell, Cabrera,M 2, Lee,De, Encarnacion,
Gonzalez,A, Helling, Harris,L. BB-Biggio 2, Ensberg 2, Hidalgo 2, Ausmus 2,
Everett,A, Merced, Pierre, Rodriguez,I, Lowell 2, Lee,De, Hollandsworth.
SH-Castillo,L. SF-Banks.
GWRBI: Redding
Temperature: 65, Sky: partly cloudy, Wind: out to right at 18 MPH.
Attendance: 42,347
Game Time: 3:31

Game 4:  Ron Villone vs. Brad Penny, Pro Player Stadium

KENT'S BOOT FORCES DECISIVE GAME 5
 Marlins Score Winning Run Without Benefit of Hit

MIAMI, Oct. 4 (AP) - In one of the most compelling games of a 2003 postseason filled with them thus far, the Florida Marlins scored an unearned run in the bottom of the ninth inning to force a winner-take-all Game 5 of the National League Divisional Series with the Houston Astros.  The 2-1 decision came on a walk-off error committed by Astros second baseman Jeff Kent, allowing Derrek Lee to score the winning run.

The ending overshadowed a fine pitching duel between Houston starter Ron Villone and Florida right-hander Brad Penny, both of whom allowed only one run.

The Marlins pushed across the game's first tally in the bottom of the third inning, and Penny was in the middle of it.  He led off the inning with a single to center and moved to second base on Juan Pierre's perfect sacrifice bunt.  Luis Castillo flied to the warning track in left field, allowing Penny to tag and advance to third and Ivan Rodriguez singled sharply through the 5 1/2 hole, scoring Penny to give Florida a 1-0 lead.

Penny allowed only one hit until the fifth inning, when he pitched around Richard Hidalgo's one-out double, and kept the Astros off the scoreboard until the seventh.  But in that seventh inning, Kent slashed a double just out of the reach of third baseman Mike Lowell and down the left field line.  Lance Berkman lifted a high fly ball to deep left that Miguel Cabrera caught at the base of the wall and Kent tagged and moved to third.  The Marlins brought the infield in an attempt to cut off the tying run but Hidalgo lined a clean single to right, scoring Kent and knotting the game at a run apiece.  Penny walked Brad Ausmus to put runners at first and second but retired Adam Everett and pinch hitter Orland Merced to end the inning.

Brad Lidge tossed a pair of perfect innings of relief for Houston and Chad Fox did the same for Florida.

In the bottom of the ninth, Octavio Dotel came on to pitch for the Astros and got off to a shaky start when he walked Derrek Lee to open the frame.  On the very first pitch to Juan Encarnacion, Lee stole second base.  Encarnacion then made two attempts to sacrifice Lee to third, but failed when both attempts rolled foul at the last second.  But, on a 2-2 pitch, Encarnacion managed to roll a grounder to the right side of the infield, advancing Lee to third with one out.  Houston brought the infield in and the strategy appeared to pay off when Alex Gonzalez grounded right to Kent.  But the ball went straight through the second baseman's legs into right field.  Lee skipped home and the sellout crowd at Pro Player Stadium erupted as everyone prepared for Game 5, following an off day, back at Minute Maid Park.
10/4/2003, Hou03-Fla03, Pro Player Stadium
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
2003 Astros            0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  0     1  4  1     5  0
2003 Marlins           0  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  1     2  4  0     8  0
 
Astros               AB  R  H BI   AVG    Marlins              AB  R  H BI   AVG
Biggio            cf  4  0  0  0  .231    Pierre            cf  3  0  0  0  .200
Ensberg           3b  4  0  0  0  .267    Castillo,L        2b  3  0  1  0  .267
Bagwell           1b  4  0  0  0  .235    Rodriguez,I       c   4  0  1  1  .214
Kent              2b  4  1  1  0  .250    Lowell            3b  4  0  0  0  .214
Berkman           lf  4  0  1  0  .214    Cabrera,M         lf  3  0  0  0  .125
Hidalgo           rf  4  0  2  1  .333    Lee,De            1b  2  1  1  0  .250
Ausmus            c   2  0  0  0  .154    Encarnacion       rf  3  0  0  0  .067
Everett,A         ss  2  0  0  0  .200    Gonzalez,A        ss  4  0  0  0  .188
Villone           p   2  0  0  0  .000    Penny             p   2  1  1  0  .500
 Merced           ph  1  0  0  0  .333     Harris,L         ph  1  0  0  0  .000
 Lidge            p   0  0  0  0  .000     Fox,C            p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Dotel            p   0  0  0  0  .000                         29  2  4  1
                     31  1  4  1
 
Astros                           INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Villone                          6.0  4  1  1  4  3  97  54  1.50
Lidge                            2.0  0  0  0  0  2  23  13  0.00
Dotel            L 0-1           0.1  0  1  0  1  0  11   4  0.00
                                 8.1  4  2  1  5  5 131  71
 
Marlins                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Penny                            7.0  4  1  1  2  4  94  55  1.29
Fox,C            W 1-0           2.0  0  0  0  0  3  21  15  0.00
                                 9.0  4  1  1  2  7 115  70
 
Hou: Merced batted for Villone in the 7th
Fla: Harris,L batted for Penny in the 7th
 
E-Kent. 2B-Kent(2), Hidalgo(3). RBI-Hidalgo(2), Rodriguez,I(4).
SB-Castillo,L 2(2), Lee,De(1). K-Biggio, Ensberg, Bagwell, Kent, Everett,A,
Villone, Merced, Rodriguez,I, Lowell, Cabrera,M, Encarnacion, Penny.
BB-Ausmus, Everett,A, Castillo,L, Cabrera,M, Lee,De 2, Encarnacion.
SH-Pierre.
Temperature: 66, Sky: clear, Wind: right to left at 11 MPH.
Attendance: 42,626
Game Time: 2:23

Game 5:  Carl Pavano vs. Roy Oswalt, Minute Maid Park

PAVANO, MARLINS WHITEWASH ASTROS, ADVANCE TO NLCS
 Gonzalez Homers Twice, Doubles, Drives in 3

HOUSTON, Oct. 6 (AP) - The Florida Marlins picked an apt time time play their best baseball of the postseason.  In a nearly flawless performance, the Marlins shutout the Houston Astros, 5-0, in a win-or-go-home Game 5 of the National League Divisional Series at Minute Maid Park.  Carl Pavano tossed seven innings of scoreless baseball and Alex Gonzalez hit a pair of home runs--his second and third of the series--and doubled while driving in three.  Juan Pierre rapped out four hits and stole a base.  Braden Looper and Ugueth Urbina each fired a scoreless inning of relief.

Florida broke out on top in the first inning when Pierre singled and then took third on Luis Castillo's hit-and-run base hit to right.  Ivan Rodriguez rolled into a double play, but Pierre scored the only run the Marlins would need.

Gonzalez led off the third with his first home run of the game off Astros starter Roy Oswalt, giving the Marlins a 2-0 lead, but Florida missed an opportunity to break the game open.  With one out, Pierre singled and stole second.  Castillo then followed by reaching on an infield hit, with Pierre advancing to third.  Rodriguez walked, filling the bases.  But Mike Lowell tapped back to the mound and Oswalt started a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning.

The Astros seemed poised to at least cut into that margin in the bottom of the third.  Adam Everett led off with a double to left-center and moved to third on Oswalt's sacrifice.  Craig Biggio was hit by a pitch and Morgan Ensberg drew a free pass, loading the bases.  But Jeff Bagwell hit a one-hopper right to Derrek Lee at first base who was playing halfway.  He threw home for the force and Rodriguez fired back to Lee to complete the second inning-ending twin killing of the frame.

The Marlins gained some real breathing room in the fourth.  Miguel Cabrera drew a lead-off walk and Lee's soft grounder to short moved the runner to second base.  Juan Encarnacion followed with a single to center but Biggio threw Cabrera out at the plate, much to the delight of the sellout partisan crowd.  But just when everyone relaxed, Gonzalez crushed a 1-0 offering from Oswalt far over the left field wall for a two-run home run and a 4-0 Florida lead.  Pavano grounded out to end the inning, but the damage had been done.

The Astros never seriously threatened to get back in the game from that point.  They never had more than one man on base in any inning for the remainder of the contest.

Pavano scattered a couple of hits and a walk over the next four innings and was lifted for a pinch hitter in the top of the eighth.  Looper took over on the mound and allowed a one-out single in the eighth, but held Houston scoreless. 

In the top of the ninth, the Astros brought on Billy Wagner, their closer, but Pierre lined his fourth hit of the game to open the inning and Castillo followed with a double to right-center, scoring Pierre to give Florida a 5-0 lead.

Urbina came on for the Marlins in the bottom of the ninth, struck out Jeff Kent, retired Lance Berkman on a fly to left and then fanned Richard Hidalgo to close out the game with a flourish.

After a day off, the Marlins will take on the rested Atlanta Braves in the first game of the NLCS at Turner Field.
10/6/2003, Fla03-Hou03, Minute Maid Park
 
                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP
2003 Marlins           1  0  1  2  0  0  0  0  1     5 12  0     9  2
2003 Astros            0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0     0  5  0     6  2
 
Marlins              AB  R  H BI   AVG    Astros               AB  R  H BI   AVG
Pierre            cf  5  2  4  0  .350    Biggio            cf  3  0  2  0  .313
Castillo,L        2b  4  0  3  1  .368    Ensberg           3b  3  0  1  0  .278
Rodriguez,I       c   3  0  1  0  .235    Bagwell           1b  4  0  0  0  .190
Lowell            3b  5  0  0  0  .158    Kent              2b  4  0  1  0  .250
Cabrera,M         lf  3  0  0  0  .105    Berkman           lf  4  0  0  0  .167
 Looper,B         p   0  0  0  0  .000    Hidalgo           rf  3  0  0  0  .278
 Redmond          ph  1  0  0  0  .000    Ausmus            c   2  0  0  0  .133
 Urbina           p   0  0  0  0  .000     Blum             ph  1  0  0  0  .000
Lee,De            1b  4  0  0  0  .188     Chavez,R         c   0  0  0  0  .000
Encarnacion       rf  3  1  1  0  .111    Everett,A         ss  2  0  1  0  .250
Gonzalez,A        ss  3  2  3  3  .316     Vizcaino,J       ph  1  0  0  0  .000
Pavano            p   3  0  0  0  .000    Oswalt            p   0  0  0  0  .000
 Conine           ph  1  0  0  0  .000     Gallo            p   0  0  0  0  .000
                     35  5 12  4           Stone            p   0  0  0  0  .000
                                           Merced           ph  1  0  0  0  .250
                                           Miceli           p   0  0  0  0  .000
                                           Lidge            p   0  0  0  0  .000
                                           Lane             ph  1  0  0  0  .000
                                           Wagner,B         p   0  0  0  0  .000
                                                               29  0  5  0
 
Marlins                          INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Pavano           W 2-0           7.0  4  0  0  2  4  94  60  1.38
Looper,B                         1.0  1  0  0  0  0  11   9  0.00
Urbina                           1.0  0  0  0  0  2  10   7  0.00
                                 9.0  5  0  0  2  6 115  76
 
Astros                           INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA
Oswalt           L 1-1           4.0  7  4  4  2  1  56  36  3.27
Gallo                            0.1  1  0  0  0  0   4   4  0.00
Stone                            0.2  0  0  0  1  1  16   8  0.00
Miceli                           2.0  1  0  0  1  2  30  18  3.00
Lidge                            1.0  1  0  0  1  2  23  14  0.00
Wagner,B                         1.0  2  1  1  0  0  11   9  2.70
                                 9.0 12  5  5  5  6 140  89
 
Fla: Conine batted for Pavano in the 8th
     Conine moved to lf in the 8th
     Redmond batted for Looper,B in the 9th
Hou: Merced batted for Stone in the 5th
     Blum batted for Ausmus in the 7th
     Vizcaino,J batted for Everett,A in the 7th
     Chavez,R inserted at c in the 8th
     Vizcaino,J moved to ss in the 8th
     Lane batted for Lidge in the 8th
 
2B-Castillo,L(1), Gonzalez,A(2), Ensberg(1), Everett,A(1).
HR-Gonzalez,A 2(3). RBI-Castillo,L(1), Gonzalez,A 3(4). SB-Pierre(1).
K-Lowell, Cabrera,M, Encarnacion, Pavano 2, Conine, Bagwell, Kent 2, Hidalgo,
Ausmus, Everett,A. BB-Rodriguez,I 2, Cabrera,M, Encarnacion, Gonzalez,A,
Ensberg, Hidalgo. SH-Castillo,L, Oswalt. HBP-Biggio. HB-Pavano. WP-Pavano.
Temperature: 92, Sky: clear, Wind: out to left at 8 MPH.
Attendance: 40,970
Game Time: 2:44