Marlins sink Giants in 11th on Rodriguez's two-run single

He also had a two-run homer in the win that gave Florida the series edge.
MIAMI (AP) -- Ivan Rodriguez circled the bases pumping his fist, then pointed at the jubilant, towel-twirling crowd before he crossed the plate.
That was in the first inning after Rodriguez's two-run homer. Nearly four hours later, he found himself in the middle of an even bigger celebration.
The catcher nicknamed "Pudge" lined a two-run single with two outs in the 11th inning Friday to cap a comeback by the Florida Marlins, who beat San Francisco 4-3 and took a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five NL playoff series.
Giants squander opportunities
Squandered opportunities and a defensive blunder hurt the Giants, and Rodriguez did the rest. He even threw out a runner trying to steal third.
"Having that kind of game made me feel pretty good," Rodriguez said. "It was one of the best games of my career."
Edgardo Alfonzo's RBI single in the top of the 11th put San Francisco ahead 3-2, but right fielder Jose Cruz Jr. dropped a routine fly to start Florida's comeback. The Giants stranded a record 18 runners, including at least one in scoring position in each of the final seven innings.
With Barry Bonds and the defending NL champions on the brink of elimination, right-hander Jason Schmidt will probably start today on three days' rest. He threw a three-hit shutout to beat the Marlins in Game 1.
Rookie sensation Dontrelle Willis will pitch for Florida.
"We lost a game that we should have won," Giants manager Felipe Alou said. "Against the wall -- that's where we are."
After Rodriguez homered, the Marlins were shut out until Cruz gave them an opening in the 11th. He drifted toward the foul line, tried to make a one-handed catch of Jeff Conine's fly and dropped the ball -- to the surprise and delight of 61,488 fans.
"It was trailing away, but it was a ball I should have caught," Cruz said. "I've never dropped one like that. It hit my glove and fell out. I should have caught it and I didn't."
Tim Worrell walked Alex Gonzalez. Miguel Cabrera sacrificed and Juan Pierre was intentionally walked to load the bases.
Game winning hit
Luis Castillo grounded back to Worrell, who made a lunging, barehanded stop and forced Conine at the plate. But Rodriguez lined a 1-2 fastball for a hit to right field, and Cruz's throw home was wide as Pierre slid in headfirst with the winning run.
"I didn't get the job done," Worrell said. "I left a fastball up, and he went with it."
As the crowd celebrated, the Marlins poured out of the dugout to mob Rodriguez, a 10-time All-Star who joined Florida this season after 12 years with the Texas Rangers.
"He showed today why he's a Hall of Famer," teammate Derrek Lee said.
"He put us on his back," Pierre said. "He came through for us big-time."
The finish was reminiscent of the 1997 playoffs, when the Marlins twice beat San Francisco in their final at-bat.
"They're a feisty young club," Giants shortstop Rich Aurilia said. "They always play like they've got nothing to lose. They feel like they're always in the game and they're always going to win."
Giants take lead in 11th
San Francisco squandered chance after chance until the 11th, when Aurilia led off with a walk against Braden Looper. Bonds hit a sharp grounder to shortstop Alex Gonzalez, who mishandled the ball for the first error of the game, sending Aurilia to third.
Alfonzo then singled for his fourth hit, giving San Francisco the lead and improving his average in the series to .615 (8-for-13). But the Giants missed an opportunity to add more runs when J.T. Snow hit an inning-ending groundout with the bases loaded.
The return of postseason baseball to Miami after a six-year wait drew the Marlins' largest home crowd since Game 7 of the '97 World Series. The boisterous fans twirled souvenir towels, creating a remarkable spectacle in a stadium where empty seats are the more customary sight.
SAN FRANFLORIDA
abrhbiabrhbi
Drham 2b5010Pierre cf5100
Nathan p0000LCstillo 2b5130
FRdgez p0000IRdrgz c5124
Hmnds ph0000DeLee 1b5020
Worrell p0000JEcrcn rf4000
Grssom cf6020Lowell 3b3000
Aurilia ss4100CFox p0000
Bonds lf4110Urbina p0000
Alfonzo 3b5141Hlndsw ph1000
Glrrga 1b4000Pavano p0000
Eyre p0000LHarrs ph1000
Trralba c1000Looper p0000
BStiago c3010Conine lf4010
NPerez 2b1000AGnzlz ss4100
JoCruz rf4001MRdm p2000
Rueter p2010Cbrera 3b1000
Feliz ph1011
Herges p0000
Snow 1b3010
Totals433123Totals40484
San Francisco00000200001--3
Florida20000000002--4
Two outs when winning run scored.
E--JoCruz (1), AGonzalez (1). LOB--San Francisco 18, Florida 12. 2B--Alfonzo (3), LCastillo 2 (2), DeLee (1). HR--IRodriguez (1). SB--DeLee (1). CS--Grissom (1). S--Torrealba, JoCruz, Cabrera.
IPHRERBBSO
San Francisco
Rueter532222
Herges1 2-310014
Eyre1-300000
Nathan000010
FRodriguez210004
Worrell L,0-11 2-332030
Florida
MRedman672234
CFox220021
Urbina110011
Pavano110000
Looper W,1-0111020
Nathan pitched to 1 batter in the 8th.
HBP--by Pavano (Hammonds). Umpires--Home, Dale Scott; First, Gary Cederstrom; Second, Jeff Kellogg; Third, Phil Cuzzi; Left, Bruce Froemming; Right, Hunter Wendelstedt. T--4:11. A--61,488.
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