Marlins' Olsen wins in first start after a two-game suspension

Marlins 10, Reds 2

MIAMI (AP) -- Scott Olsen was back on his best behavior Friday night for the Florida Marlins, pitching seven innings and no fits.

Olsen won in his first start after a two-game suspension for insubordination and conduct detrimental to the team, helping to beat the Cincinnati Reds 10-2.

Olsen (8-7) limited the Reds to four hits and two runs, the result of solo homers by Jeff Conine and Brandon Phillips.

"There was a little different guy on the mound -- a calmer guy on the mound," Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

So did the suspension have something to do with Olsen's poised performance?

"If that's the case, I'll suspend everybody," Gonzalez said. "We'll take turns."

Said Olsen: "I don't think we want to be doing that."

Miguel Cabrera and Dan Uggla homered and drove in three runs apiece for the Marlins, who ended a four-game Cincinnati winning streak. Hanley Ramirez had three doubles and two RBIs, and Miguel Olivo hit a two-run homer in the eighth.

Olsen's suspension without pay came after a confrontation with teammate Sergio Mitre on Sunday, when he made his most recent start. Olsen scuffled with at least two teammates as a rookie last year, coming away from one incident with a black eye, but limited his hostilities Friday to throwing 93 mph fastballs.

"He pitched in and out real well," Reds interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "You tip your hat to him."

Olsen said the suspension had no effect on his focus.

"I wasn't thinking about it when I was out there," Olsen said. "I focus every game."

The left-hander walked one -- the first batter he faced -- and struck out five. He threw 93 pitches before leaving for a pinch-hitter with a 4-2 lead, and lowered his ERA to 4.99.

"I felt in control," Olsen said. "That's probably the best way to describe it. I'm going to use it as a steppingstone. We need to start making a run here."

Armando Benitez bounced back from a loss Thursday to pitch a scoreless eighth. Justin Miller pitched the ninth, extending his scoreless streak to 13 1/3 consecutive innings to complete a six-hitter.

Kyle Lohse (5-12) allowed seven runs, four earned, in 6 2/3 innings.

"It's just frustrating, because I made a lot of good pitches, and the ones I left over the plate got crushed," Lohse said. "They've got some good hitters over there. You can't do that."

The right-hander hurt himself with an errant throw to second after fielding a sacrifice bunt, which led to three unearned runs in the seventh.

"Like my second error ever," Lohse said.

Florida scored three runs in the third. Alfredo Amezaga led off with an infield single, advanced on a sacrifice and came home on Ramirez's double. The Reds decided to pitch to Cabrera with two out, and his 23rd homer made the score 3-0.

A spectator in the first row of the right-field seats used his cap in the sixth inning to catch a deep drive by Cabrera, who was ruled out because of fan interference. Right fielder Norris Hopper leaped at the wall in an attempt to make the catch, but spectator David Fridkin leaned over to snare the ball instead.

"The first thing I said was, 'We're going to get kicked out," Fridkin said. He did, but said before departing that his favorite player was Cabrera.

Hopper said he would have made the play if not for Fridkin.

"He just basically took it out of my glove," Hopper said. "That's a good catch."

Conine hit his fifth home run with two out in the fourth for Cincinnati's first hit.

Uggla's 18th homer leading off the sixth put Florida ahead 4-1. Phillips hit his 20th homer with one out in the seventh.

Uggla hit a two-run double and scored on Cabrera's single in the seventh.

Game notes
Conine has 63 home runs in Miami, more than at any other ballpark. He helped the Marlins win two World Series championships. ... Marlins RHP Josh Johnson (strained forearm) pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings Friday for Single-A Jupiter. He's expected to make at least one more rehabilitation start before rejoining the Marlins. ... Lohse fell to 2-9 on the road with an ERA of 6.42.