Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Cody Ross followed Dan Uggla's solo homer in the ninth inning with his second round-tripper of the game, giving the Marlins a thrilling 3-2 win over Chicago in the rubber match of a key three-game series.
Kevin Gregg (4-3) gave up both homers, blowing his second save in as many days. The former Marlins closer gave up three runs in the ninth inning on Saturday before Derrek Lee homered in the 10th to give the Cubs the win, their third in four games.
"Actually, (Uggla's home run) went in the upper deck, and mine barely cleared (the wall)," Ross said. "But they both still count for one. It's just a great win for us as a team."
Chicago couldn't save the hurler on Sunday, as Uggla hammered a 3-1 curve for his 19th homer of the season and Ross followed with another that just cleared the left-field scoreboard, giving Florida its fifth win in seven games.
"Unfortunately, it's part of the game," Gregg said. "You're going to mess up every now and again. I think I had (converted) 10 or 11 straight prior to this, so two on the wrong side, now it's time to get back on the right side."
The comeback made a winner of Brendan Donnelly (2-0), who gave up a go-ahead homer to Jake Fox in the top of the ninth.
Both starters in the game were facing their former teams, with Florida'sRicky Nolasco striking out eight in seven innings of one-run ball. His counterpart, Ryan Dempster, gave up three hits and four walks in six scoreless innings.
The Cubs left a runner in scoring position in their first two at-bats, but Lee singled to center in the third to plate Sam Fuld, who was on with a walk.
Aaron Heilman relieved Dempster in the seventh and yielded a one-out, solo homer to Ross, and the game stayed tied until the back-and-forth ninth frame.
Game Notes:
Florida's Hanley Ramirez, who was out of the starting lineup after getting plunked on his left thigh Saturday, popped out as a pinch-hitter to open the ninth...Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez was also hit by a pitch on the forearm Saturday and sat out...Nolasco was a fourth-round draft choice of the Cubs in 2001 and spent five years in the Chicago organization before being traded to the Marlins in December of 2005...Dempster broke into the majors with the Marlins in 1998 and pitched five seasons for Florida before being dealt to Cincinnati in 2002...Ryan Theriot had three hits in defeat. Source
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