ESPN.com – MLB – Recap – Marlins at Braves – 09/20/2003

I’ve mentioned that I really hate it when the Braves rally from a deficit only to lose late. And here it happens again. It was 5-1 Marlins in the eighth when the Braves rallied to get two in that inning and again in the ninth. But after loading the bases with one out in the tenth, they didn’t get a run home, and Will Cunnane allowed a homer to Miguel Cabrera (that man again) and lost.

Horacio Ramirez had a relapse of his control difficulties and wound up going only 4 2/3 innings and giving up four runs, leaving with the bases loaded. As it turned out, the key run might have been an unearned run allowed by Darren Holmes in the seventh, an inning in which he didn’t allow a hit or walk.

John Smoltz pitched! Just to one batter, in the ninth. It’s my understanding that this was intentional, just to get him a little gamework.

Milestones: Javy Lopez hit his 42d homer of the year, his 41st as a catcher. Well, none of them as a catcher, all of them as a hitter, but you know what I mean. Gary Sheffield had his 2000th career hit. Marcus Giles hit his 20th homer.

The Giants will probably tie the Braves for the best record in the NL: they are leading 4-0 in the seventh. The Phillies lost, so the Marlins are back in the wildcard lead.