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MIAMI -- Defensive replacement Ed Lucas provided a boost with his bat, transforming the Miami Marlins extra-inning frustration into an 11th-inning celebration. Lucas single drove home the winning run from second base with one out in the 11th Tuesday night, and Miami beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4. The Marlins had lost their past three extra-inning games, each lasting at least 13 innings. They had been shut out for 15 consecutive extra-inning innings before Lucas hit, according to STATS. "After that kind of a streak, it starts to build and grate on you as a team, so it was nice to be able to finish one off," Lucas said. "Weve been so close in the past. We just havent been able to get the big hit when we needed to. So its good to be able to dump one in there and get us out of here for once." Miami broke a four-game losing streak, while the Phillies lost their fifth game in a row and dropped a season-worst 9 1/2 games out of the NL East lead. "It just seems like the games were close to, we just dont win them," said the Phils A.J. Burnett, who pitched six innings. "Weve been in spots to win a lot of ballgames." The Marlins extended another streak, winning their ninth consecutive game when Henderson Alvarez starts. That matched the longest such streak with a pitcher in franchise history. "We need to get him to pitch every day," manager Mike Redmond said. Alvarez allowed two runs in seven innings. Pinch hitter Jeff Baker singled to start the 11th against Justin De Fratus (2-1), then advanced on a sacrifice. He scored without a play on an opposite-field hit by Lucas, who was sent into the game in the eighth because of his defence. "Weve had several opportunities to get that big hit," Redmond said. "It has been a little bit elusive late in the game, and tonight Eddie got one. That was big." The Phillies overcame a 4-2 deficit in the eighth with back-to-back two-out homers by Marlon Byrd and Cody Asche off Kevin Gregg. Byrd clanked his 16th homer off the home-run sculpture, and two pitches later Asche pulled his fifth homer just inside the foul pole. After the homers, Miamis bullpen retired the final 10 Phillies batters. Bryan Morris (6-0) pitched two innings. "The offence has been inconsistent, sporadic, and it has made it tough on the starting pitcher that day trying to be perfect," manager Ryne Sandberg said. "The bullpen has stepped up and done its job putting zeroes late in the game, only to come short on the offensive side of things a lot of the times." The Marlins Giancarlo Stanton singled home a run to increase his RBI total to 61, which leads the NL. Casey McGehee singled and scored and has reached base in 25 consecutive games. Miami also scored on a strikeout against Burnett, who struck out 10 but allowed four runs, three earned. Alvarez was better, and even when he was on his backside, the Phillies had trouble reaching base. When Burnett broke his bat on a dribbler, Alvarez leaped to avoid the barrel and then crumpled in a heap on the mound. He watched from a supine position as third baseman McGehee threw Burnett out. Alvarez again fell fielding Cameron Rupps one-hopper in the seventh, and while sitting on the mound tossed to first for the out. "I was happy he didnt throw it from his back," Redmond said. "Im glad he at least sat up." The Marlins Steve Cishek also had a highlight-reel moment, reaching behind his back to snare another one-hopper by Rupp for an out in the ninth. NOTES: After the game, the Marlins placed RHP A.J. Ramos on the 15-day disabled list because of shoulder inflammation. ... Phillies LHP Cliff Lee (elbow) threw 60 pitches in three innings in a simulated game Tuesday and said he felt good. Hes expected to make one or two rehabilitation starts before rejoining the rotation, likely after the All-Star break. ... Phils C Carlos Ruiz (concussion) has yet to show much improvement. ... Three-time All-Star Grady Sizemore, who signed a minor league deal last week, might join the Phillies during their trip, Sandberg said. ... Marlins fan Jonathan Esponda, 8, whose gyrations in the stands became an Internet video sensation, threw out the first pitch and then danced with team mascot Billy the Marlin. ... LHP Cole Hamels (2-4, 2.84) is scheduled to start Wednesday for the Phillies against RHP Tom Koehler (5-6, 3.70). Air Max Sale Australia . Hoffman, the former star closer, will evaluate and help co-ordinate all pitchers at Double-A, Triple-A and the big league team. Byrnes says Hoffman "will be a key part of finishing the development of our younger pitchers. Air Max Shoes Australia . -- Center Max Unger and tight end Zach Miller are both probable for the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday against the New York Giants and Percy Harvins recovery continues to be slow. http://www.australiawholesaleairmax.com/. The league-leading New York Rangers outhit and outmuscled the Maple Leafs during a 3-0 victory on Saturday. Backup goalie Martin Biron stopped all 20 shots he faced to complete a nice workmanlike effort by the visitors. Discount Air Max Australia . Appearing on TSN 1050 on Tuesday, Sean McAdam of Comcast SportsNet New England reported that the Blue Jays, along with a number of other playoff contenders were in the mix for the Boston ace. Cheap Air Max Shoes Australia . Week 2s biggest games include Florida facing Miami and Notre Dame travelling to the Big House to conclude their rivalry against Michigan in primetime on TSN2 and TSN 1050. EDMONTON -- The Colorado Avalanche are looking quite ready to start the post-season. Erik Johnson led the way with a goal and an assist as the Avalanche gave themselves some breathing room in the playoff picture with a 4-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. Paul Stastny, Jamie McGinn and Tyson Barrie also scored for the Avalanche (51-21-7) who have gone 7-0-1 in their last eight games. "We played the type of game that we need to play in the playoffs," said Colorado goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere." It didnt matter that we were playing a team that is out of it. We stuck to our game and I was really impressed with the way we played, its a really good time for our team." The win gave Colorado a four-point cushion over the idle Chicago Blackhawks for second place in the Central Division and two points up on the San Jose Sharks for third in the Western Conference. The Avs remained four points back of division-leading St. Louis. "I think we just want to keep winning," said Stastny. "We want to get home ice. Whether we catch St. Louis or not, we just want to keep moving forward. If Chicago wins again, we have to win again to guarantee home ice for at least one run. But were not looking that far ahead, were just looking at the next game. We just have to keep playing well." The Avalanche set a team record for road wins with the victory, improving to 25-10-3 away from Denver. David Perron replied for the 28th place Oilers (28-43-9) who saw a two-game winning streak come to an end. "It was a small step backwards tonight," said Oilers defenceman Jeff Petry. "We werent sharp from the beginning of the game on. We werent making tape-to-tape passes or catching passes. We were just a little bit off tonight." Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins thought it was more than just a little off, especially in light of some of their efforts against top teams of late. "It was perplexing to say the least," he said. "On our last road trip and our last game here against Anaheim, we were dialled in, each and every guy. Tonight we just couldnt get our legs and get into the rhythm of the game. The biggest thing for me was it was almost like we couldnt work because we couldnt make two passes in a row. Our execution was just terrible tonight." Colorado started the scoring four minutes into the game after Stastny swatted the puck in through the legs of an Edmonton defender from the side of the net after goalie Ben Scrivens had made the initial stop on Gabriel Landeskog. It was Stastnys 23rd goal of the season. The Oilers tied the game on the power play with three minutes to play in the opening frame as Perron banked the puck off the skate of defenceman Nick Holden andd past Giguere.dddddddddddd. It was Perrons team-leading 28th goal of the year. However, the Avalanche restored their lead just 12 seconds later as Johnson walked past Petry and beat Scrivens up high. "That was a huge boot right in the you-know-what," Eakins said. "You arent going great and you get a goal that livens your bench and they barely drop the puck and bang, it is in the back of your net." Johnson knew it was a pivotal goal. "It was right after they scored a power-play goal, the first shift after," Johnson said. "I just wanted to make sure first and foremost we got the puck in deep. I had some speed and made a move and it was fun to make a play like that and score a goal like that at this level. "We controlled the pace of the game the entire game after that goal, I thought." Both goalies were solid in the scoreless second period, particularly Scrivens, who came across to make a huge toe save on Stastny after a bad bounce off the glass with two minutes left. The shots favoured Colorado 23-19 through 40 minutes. The Avalanche came into the game with a record of 34-0-2 when leading after two periods. Colorado took a 3-1 lead seven-and-a-half minutes into the third on a power-play goal as Barrie came in from the point and took a shot through traffic that beat Scrivens high to the glove side. The Avalanche made it 4-1 with just under four minutes left to play as McGinn smacked the puck into the net before Ryan Nugent-Hopkins could clear it for his 19th of the year. Both teams return to the ice on Thursday as the Oilers play the third game of a season-ending four game homestand against the Los Angeles Kings. The Avs are on the road for their final four matchers, playing the second of a four game trip in Vancouver against the Canucks. Notes: It was the third and final meeting between the two teams this season. Edmonton started out with a huge 8-2 win over the Avalanche on Dec. 5, however the Avs bounced back with a 4-3 win two weeks later in Coloradoa Colorado is one of the few teams that the Oilers have had much success against in recent years, coming into the game with a record of 12-4-4 in their last 20 games against the Avalanchea Oilers forward Taylor Hall came into the game on a high note, having earned the NHLs first star status on Monday for his play last week. Hall potted two goals and added seven assists in four games to collect the honoura Out with injuries for the Avalanche were forwards Cody McLeod (ankle), P.A .Parenteau (knee) and Matt Duchene (knee)a Absent from the Oilers lineup were forwards Jesse Joensuu (ankle), Tyler Pitlick (knee), Ryan Jones (torn PCL), Luke Gazdic (shoulder), Nail Yakupov (ankle) and defenceman Andrew Ference (chest). ' ' '