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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
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| Johnson |
HOUSTON – Charles Johnson's return to the Florida Marlins
as a free agent is paying dividends.
Johnson hit two home runs, and Preston Wilson and Mike Lowell each had three RBI, to lead the Marlins past the Houston Astros
11-5 Sunday.
"I usually get off to a slow start. But I've been consistent
early this year," said Johnson, who played for the Orioles and
White Sox last season. "My main concern is being consistent all
year and helping the team. It's nothing I've done differently. The
season is a marathon and the key is being consistent."
He hit safely for the fourth time in the last five games and is
hitting 9-for-21 (.428) on Florida's current road trip. Johnson's
nine home runs lead the Marlins, who have a club-record 35 in
April. Florida hit 31 homers in June 1995, and September 1997.
"It's been a good month for hitting," the catcher said. "What
has happened is that I've been able to contribute. I'm doing the
best I can to help this team."
Johnson, who played for Florida from 1994-98, signed a
five-year, $35 million contract with the Marlins in the offseason.
"C.J. was great today," Marlins manager John Boles said.
"He's really been a great pickup. He's becoming such a good hitter
and I wouldn't be surprised if him and (the Mets' Mike) Piazza are
the National League catchers at the All-Star game.
"He's got nine home runs. He's hitting above .300. He's the
total package."
Wilson went 3-for-4 with a home run, Lowell added a two-run
shot, Cliff Floyd had two doubles, and Eric Owens had three hits as
the Marlins had season highs for runs, hits (19) and tied the club
record for home runs (four) in a game.
"This is not the same team we've had the past two years,"
Boles said. "In the past we've had to rely on pitching and
fielding and low-scoring games. This year we have that threat to
have big innings. We have the hitters."
Marlins starter Matt Clement lasted only 3 1/3 innings, allowing
three runs on five hits and six walks. He hit two batters and
walked Moises Alou with the bases loaded in the first and fourth
innings.
Ricky Bones (1-1) went 3 2/3 innings, giving up two hits, for
the victory.
Houston's Shane Reynolds (1-2) gave up seven runs on 10 hits in
2 1/3 innings as the Astros lost for the eighth time in 12 games.
"It was another rough game for us," manager Larry Dierker
said. "We got behind too far too fast and couldn't catch up. They
were hitting Shane real hard."
Reynolds allowed season highs for hits and runs.
"It was a terrible performance by me," said Reynolds, whose
earned-run average rose to 10.42. "They hit everything I threw up there. If I was
up in the zone, they hit it. If I was down in the zone, they hit
it."
Lowell's third home run of the year made it 2-1 for Florida in
the second. The next inning, Floyd's double to left-center scored
two runs, Lowell had an RBI single, and Johnson's eighth home run
of the season made it 7-1.
Jose Lima replaced Reynolds in the third, Lima's first relief
appearance since Sept. 18, 1997, at Pittsburgh. Lima gave up a pair
of runs in the fourth on hits by Floyd and Wilson.
Wilson got his fifth home run of the year in the sixth. One out
later, Johnson's second homer of the day made it 11-3.
Game notes
Craig Biggio moved into a tie for first in the NL with his
fifth and sixth hit-by-pitches in the first and second innings ...
Owens is 16-for-30 (.533) at Enron Field in his career. ...
Houston's Jose Vizcaino stretched his current NL high for at-bats
without a home run to 476. ... Lowell stretched his hitting streak
to 11 games. ... It was Johnson's ninth career multihomer game. He
also did it April 19 against Montreal ... The 19 hits were
Florida's most since it got 21 against Atlanta on Sept. 24, 1996.
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RECAPS
Kansas City 11
Boston 8
Cleveland 9
Texas 2
Detroit 6
Tampa Bay 1
NY Yankees 3
Oakland 1
Toronto 2
Anaheim 0
Chi. White Sox 2
Seattle 1
Minnesota 4
Baltimore 0
Milwaukee 10
Montreal 0
St. Louis 12
NY Mets 1
Florida 11
Houston 5
Colorado 14
Cincinnati 7
Chicago Cubs 11
San Francisco 2
Los Angeles 4
Philadelphia 1
San Diego 6
Pittsburgh 1
Arizona 7
Atlanta 5
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