Jeff Conine emptied a Baltimore Orioles bag into his new locker in the Florida Marlins’ clubhouse Monday, then surveyed the surroundings as he recalled the last time he was in the room.
That was October 1997–the night the Marlins won Game 7 of the World Series.
“Lots of champagne was being thrown around,” Conine said. “I’d like to see that again.”
An original member of the Marlins who went 4-for-4 as a rookie in their first game in 1993, , Conine rejoined Florida following a trade late Sunday. It bolsters Florida’s bid for a wild-card playoff berth. He was acquired from Baltimore to bat cleanup in place of All-Star Mike Lowell, who’s expected to miss the rest of the regular season with a broken left hand.
Conine’s name was already in the lineup when he arrived at Pro Player Stadium barely an hour before Monday’s game against Montreal. He received a standing ovation his first at-bat and responded with a sacrifice fly.
He later singled and started a double play in left field to help the Marlins to a 5-2 victory that gave them a one-game lead in the NL wild-card race.
Back in the bigs
Mets right-hander Orber Moreno, brought up Monday from the minor leagues, hasn’t pitched in the major leagues since 1999. That year, with Kansas City, he appeared in eight innings over seven games.
He was on the DL the following year after reconstructive elbow surgery, pitched in 30 minor-league games in 2001, then pitched in only two minor-league games year, his season cut short by a torn labrum that needed an operation to repair.
“I feel blessed coming back from all the injuries, having one more shot to play in the big leagues,” he said.
MONDAY’S NL GAMES
RESULTS, SYNOPSIS
Atlanta 2 at N.Y. Mets 3
W: Wheeler (1-2)
L: Hodges (3-3)
S: Weathers (6)
Timo Perez hit a tie-breaking sacrifice fly in the seventh off Trey Hodges as the last-place Mets beat the division-leading Braves for just the sixth time in 17 meetings this year.
Cincinnati 5 at Milwaukee 4
W: Etherton (2-2)
L: Franklin (10-11)
S: Reitsma (6)
The Reds, who got swept in a four-game series at home last week during Milwaukee’s 10-game winning streak, won for the fifth straight time this season at Miller Park.
Montreal 2 at Florida 5
W: Penny (12-10)
L: Ohka (8-11)
S: Looper (26)
The Expos fell four games back in the wild-card standings. “We’ve got the noose around our neck,” hitting coach Tom McCraw said. “You either take the thing off, or you hang yourself.”
San Francisco 2 at Arizona 0
W: Ponson (3-3)
L: Villareal (7-6)
S: Worrell (32)
Sidney Ponson and Curt Schilling had a classic duel for eight innings. Ponson allowed six hits and one walk, striking out three; Schilling gave up five hits, walked none and struck out 10.
Houston 10 at Los Angeles 1
W: Miller (12-11)
L: Nomo (15-11)
Jeff Kent hit his 10th grand slam and had six RBIs as the Astros moved into a tie for the NL Central lead. Dodgers catcher Paul LoDuca was hit in the jaw by a Kent foul tip; X-rays were negative.
