Phils overcome Gordon's blown save, beat Marlins

Phillies 6, Marlins 5

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Brett Myers stopped by Tom Gordon's locker to offer a few encouraging words on his way home.

Are the two relievers about to reverse roles? Not yet.

Carlos Ruiz's infield single with the bases loaded in the ninth gave the Philadelphia Phillies a 6-5 victory over the Florida Marlins after Gordon blew another save Friday night.

"The team has been believing in me and supporting me," said Gordon, who has three blown saves in seven chances. "It's just a matter of time."

Philadelphia (10-12) has won six of seven after a terrible start.

Jimmy Rollins' NL-leading ninth homer tied it and Chase Utley connected one batter later to give the Phillies a 5-4 lead in the eighth.

But Gordon (1-1) couldn't hold the lead -- again. Mike Jacobs started the ninth with his fourth hit, a double. With one out, Cody Ross doubled down the left-field line to tie it at 5.

Myers, the Opening Day starter, was sent to the bullpen last week amid speculation he would eventually replace Gordon as the closer. But manager Charlie Manuel isn't ready to make that switch.

"Brett will get some chances. The more he pitches, the better he's going to get," Manuel said. "This is a role he has to get used to."

Myers pitched two scoreless innings against the Marlins, though he allowed four hits. Gordon has just one perfect inning in eight appearances.

"He made two pitches that weren't good, but his fastball was good tonight," Manuel said. "It's just a matter of him getting his command better."

Michael Bourn walked leading off the bottom of the ninth against Randy Messenger (0-1). Aaron Rowand followed with a single to right. Wes Helms reached when Messenger couldn't handle his sacrifice bunt to load the bases.

Against a drawn-in infield, Ruiz singled off shortstop Hanley Ramirez's glove to win it.

"You can't walk the leadoff guy," Messenger said. "I put myself in a hole right there. You can't make mistakes anywhere. If you make mistakes they make you pay."

Rowand was 4-for-5 with a solo homer, extending his career-best hitting streak to 15 and falling a triple short of the cycle.

Jacobs was 4-for-4 with a solo homer and Miguel Cabrera also hit a solo shot for the Marlins.

Rollins' liner into the left-field seats off Taylor Tankersley tied it at 4. Rollins has the most homers by a leadoff hitter in April since Baltimore's Brady Anderson had 11 in 1996. Anderson finished that season with 50 homers.

After Shane Victorino lined out, Utley drove one deep into the right-field seats.

Marlins starter Anibal Sanchez allowed three runs and nine hits in five innings.

"They are a tough team. They seem to always come back," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We had some opportunities early that came back to haunt us at the end."

Freddy Garcia had another so-so outing for the Phillies. The right-hander allowed four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out eight in his third start since coming off the disabled list with biceps tendinitis.

A two-time All-Star acquired from the Chicago White Sox in the offseason, Garcia hasn't met expectations, though it's quite early.

Leading 3-2, Garcia couldn't get out of the fifth inning after retiring the first two batters. Jacobs doubled, Josh Willingham was hit by a pitch and Ross walked. Antonio Alfonseca entered to face Miguel Olivo, who lined a run-scoring single to center to tie it at 3.

Alfonseca then walked Alfredo Amezaga to force in the go-ahead run but retired Sanchez on a grounder that short-hopped second baseman Utley.

Cabrera ripped his sixth homer into the left-field seats to put Florida ahead 1-0 in the first.

Rowand's fifth homer tied it at 1 in the second inning. Helms then walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Ruiz's double to right-center. Ruiz went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Garcia's sacrifice fly, giving the Phillies a 3-1 lead.

Jacobs cut it to 3-2 in the third with a long homer to right field.

Both teams had plenty of chances to score but couldn't produce with runners in scoring position.

Utley flied to left to strand runners at second and third in the fourth. Pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs hit a soft liner to first base to leave the bases loaded in the fifth. Ruiz grounded into an inning-ending double play with two runners on against Kevin Gregg in the seventh.

The Marlins loaded the bases with one out in the second, but Garcia struck out Ramirez and retired Dan Uggla on a bouncer to third base. Amezaga tripled with one out in the fourth, but Garcia struck out Sanchez and Ramirez.

Myers pitched out of a jam after giving up three straight singles with two outs in the sixth. He struck out Ross to end the threat.

Philadelphia left 14 runners on base and Florida stranded 12.

Game notes
Rowand is batting .448 (26-for-58) with five homers and 10 RBIs during his hitting streak. ... Sanchez is 12-3 since making his big league debut last June 25. ... The Marlins have won just five of their last 19 games in Philly. ... Ruiz threw out two runners trying to steal second base. ... Phillies reliever Ryan Madson hasn't allowed a run in his last six appearances, spanning 8 2/3 innings.