San Francisco done; Marlins say: 'We think we can go all the way'

Catcher Ivan Rodriguez and defense played key roles in Florida's victory.
MIAMI (AP) -- Somehow, Ivan Rodriguez and the Florida Marlins held on.
The 10-time All-Star catcher withstood a hard collision to tag J.T. Snow for the final out and the Marlins beat Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants 7-6 Saturday, clinching their best-of-five division series 3-1.
In typically dramatic fashion, the wild-card Marlins moved into the NL championship series to face either the Chicago Cubs or Atlanta.
Opinion
"This is a start," Rodriguez said. "We have a great team, and I think we can go all the way."
Dontrelle Willis and the Marlins blew a 5-1 advantage before rookie Miguel Cabrera helped them regain the lead in the eighth with an RBI single.
Rodriguez scored the go-ahead run, jarring the ball loose from catcher Yorvit Torrealba. When the ball scooted away, another run scored.
But the defending NL champion Giants weren't done. They scored once in the ninth against closer Ugueth Urbina and had runners at first and second with two out when Jeffrey Hammonds singled to left.
A charging Jeff Conine fielded the ball on one bounce and threw a one-hopper wide of the plate to Rodriguez, the hero of Friday's 11-inning victory.
Rodriguez quickly moved in front of the plate and applied the tag as Snow bowled him over, trying in vain to dislodge the ball. Rodriguez's mask and helmet went flying, but he held the ball.
Rodriguez got up and was tackled again by a jubilant Urbina as the Marlins began to celebrate, accompanied by the roar of 65,464 fans, a record for a division series game.
Modest
"It was a very tough play," Rodriguez said. "You know, Conine is a good outfielder. He threw the ball right to me.
"In that situation I'm just going to grab that ball in my glove. I don't want to let that ball go out of my glove."
He spoke while still clutching the ball.
During Rodriguez's 12 seasons with the Texas Rangers, they went 1-9 in playoff games, all against the New York Yankees. At 31, he found a limited market as a free agent last winter and settled for a one-year, $10 million contract with the Marlins.
"This is what I've wanted for a long time," Rodriguez said. "And there's nothing better than me getting the last out."
It was a triumph tough to imagine when 72-year-old manager Jack McKeon's team trailed 1-0 in the series and 4-1 in the fifth inning of Game 2 -- or when Florida was 19-29 in May. But the resilient Marlins will start the NLCS on the road Tuesday.
"They're just exciting guys to be around," McKeon said. "They've got that fire in their eyes. They're never going to quit. You're going to have to beat us."
With the victory, the Marlins saved themselves a long trip to San Francisco for a decisive Game 5 Sunday. The NL West champion Giants, the first team to clinch a division title this year, were the first to be eliminated.
Tough on the end
"I'm proud of my guys," manager Felipe Alou said. "They didn't give up when they were trailing by four runs. They didn't give up when they were trailing by two runs in the ninth inning. They made it tough for the Marlins. It wasn't meant to be."
The loss ended the latest bid for that elusive World Series ring by Bonds, who went 0-for-2 with a sacrifice fly and an intentional walk.
"See y'all in spring training," Bonds said in the somber Giants clubhouse.
After hitting a record eight home runs in the postseason last year, Bonds batted .222 in the series (2-for-9) with no homers, one double, two RBIs and eight walks, six intentional.
SAN FRANFLORIDA
abrhbiabrhbi
Drham 2b4110Pierre cf5110
Hmnds rf4120LCstillo 2b3110
Aurilia ss4111IRdrgz c4221
Bonds lf2001DeLee 1b2111
Alfonzo 3b4111Cbrera 3b5143
Grssom cf2100JEcrcn rf4000
Herges p0000Conine lf3001
FRdgez p0000AGnzlz ss4000
NPerez ph1110Willis p3130
Snow 1b4032Penny p0000
Trralba c2001BBanks ph1000
Feliz ph1000Pavano p0000
JeWms p1000Urbina p0000
Brower p0000
Glrrga ph1000
Hrmns p0000
JoCruz rf1000
BStiago ph1000
Totals32696Totals347126
San Francisco010004001--6
Florida01220002x--7
E--Aurilia (2), Torrealba (1). DP--San Francisco 2. LOB--San Francisco 5, Florida 11. 2B--Aurilia (1), Alfonzo (4), NPerez (1), LCastillo (3), IRodriguez (1), Cabrera 2 (2). 3B--Willis (1). S--JEncarnacion. SF--Bonds, Torrealba.
IPHRERBBSO
San Francisco
JeWilliams253311
Brower242222
Hermanson110010
Herges200011
FRodriguez L,0-1122101
Florida
Willis5 1-355523
Penny1 2-310001
Pavano W,2-0100011
Urbina S,1131101
JeWilliams pitched to 3 batters in the 3rd, Hermanson pitched to 1 batter in the 6th. HBP--by Urbina (Durham), by FRodriguez (DeLee), by Herges (DeLee). Umpires--Home, Gary Cederstrom; First, Jeff Kellogg; Second, Phil Cuzzi; Third, Bruce Froemming; Left, Hunter Wendelstedt; Right, Dale Scott. T--3:19. A--65,464.
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