BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — Trevor Cook kicked a 33-yard field goal on the final play to give Miami of Ohio a 24-21 victory over Bowling Green in foggy conditions Wednesday night.

Miami (6-4, 5-1 Mid-American Conference) moved into a tie with Ohio and Temple atop the East Division and became bowl eligible for the [...]]]> Associated Press

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — Trevor Cook kicked a 33-yard field goal on the final play to give Miami of Ohio a 24-21 victory over Bowling Green in foggy conditions Wednesday night.

Miami (6-4, 5-1 Mid-American Conference) moved into a tie with Ohio and Temple atop the East Division and became bowl eligible for the first time since 2005.

Cook made the winning field goal after D.J. Brown intercepted Matt Schilz’s pass. The kick marked the first time Miami won a game on the final play since Ben Roethlisberger completed a 70-yard pass to Eddie Tillitz in a 30-27 decision over Akron on Oct. 13, 2001.

Miami took a 21-7 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Falcons (2-8, 1-5) rallied to tie it on Willie Geter’s 1- and 2-yard TD runs — the first after Schilz’s 76-yard pass to Kamar Jorden.

Thomas Merriweather opened the scoring for the Redhawks in the first quarter with an 18-yard run.

The Falcons tied it on Schilz’s 12-yard TD pass to Alex Bayer in the second, and Miami took a 14-7 lead on quarterback Zac Dysert’s 1-yard run with 1:47 left in the half.

In the third quarter, the Falcons made it 21-7 on Dysert’s 22-yard pass to Nick Harwell.

Dysert was 19 of 25 for 221 yards for the Redhawks. Harwell had 10 catches for 125 yards, and Merriweather ran for 88 yards on 17 carries. Schilz was 17 of 29 for 176 yards for the Falcons, and Jorden had four receptions for 95 yards.

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CORAL GABLES, Fla.—Miami and Notre Dame have agreed to renew a football rivalry that during the 1980s helped define each program and decide several national championships.

The Hurricanes and Fighting Irish will play Oct. 6, 2012, at Soldier Field in Chicago, then play a home-and-home starting in 2016 at South Bend, Ind. They [...]]]> Associated Press

CORAL GABLES, Fla.—Miami and Notre Dame have agreed to renew a football rivalry that during the 1980s helped define each program and decide several national championships.

The Hurricanes and Fighting Irish will play Oct. 6, 2012, at Soldier Field in Chicago, then play a home-and-home starting in 2016 at South Bend, Ind. They play in Miami the next season.

The rivalry dates to the 1950s and Notre Dame leads the series 15-7-1.

But it was during the 1980s, when Miami became a national power, that the rivalry got interesting.

In 1985, Miami embarrassed Notre Dame 58-7 in Jerry Faust’s last game as coach of the Fighting Irish.

Faust was replaced by Lou Holtz. Soon after Notre Dame was a national title contender again and the Miami-Notre Dame game was routinely one of the biggest of the season.

Miami won three national championships in the 1980s and beat Notre Dame during the regular season each time. Notre Dame beat Miami in 1988, when the Irish won their last national title, and in 1990.

The tense and at times nasty series was dubbed Catholics vs. Convicts by some Notre Dame supporters.

The 1988 game was marked by a pregame shoving match and the next season the teams nearly squared off at midfield before the coin toss.

After the 29-20 victory by the Irish in 1990—which knocked Miami out of the national title hunt and helped Notre Dame go the Orange Bowl with a chance to win another championship—the series was stopped.

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Florida Marlins' Jorge Cantu prepares to bat during the third inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds.

MIAMI — Jorge Cantu saw the pitch bounce in the dirt, giving Hanley Ramirez plenty of time to move up to second base and into scoring position.

He instantly felt relaxed.

One pitch later, [...]]]> Associated Press

Florida Marlins' Jorge Cantu prepares to bat during the third inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds.

MIAMI — Jorge Cantu saw the pitch bounce in the dirt, giving Hanley Ramirez plenty of time to move up to second base and into scoring position.

He instantly felt relaxed.

One pitch later, Cantu extended his major league season-opening record to 10 games with a hit and an RBI by lofting a double to right-center, and the Florida Marlins went on to salvage a four-game series split by beating the Cincinnati Reds 10-2 Thursday night.

“Hopefully I can continue to ride this, see where it takes me,” Cantu said. “I don’t know when it’s going to come to an end. But right now, I’m happy.”

So were a slew of other people in the Florida clubhouse.

Josh Johnson struck out 10 in six innings of easy work, Cody Ross was 3 for 5 with two doubles and three RBIs, and Cameron Maybin — who typically wears No. 24 in part to honor Jackie Robinson — hit his first homer of the season and the sixth of his career for Florida.

All players and coaches wore jerseys with No. 42 on the back Thursday, part of baseball’s annual tribute to Robinson.

“It’s nice, it’s really nice just to play well,” Maybin said. “But to get a win and a split was even bigger.”

Chris Dickinson and Jonny Gomes each had two hits and scored a run for Cincinnati. The Reds struck out 14 times, and starter Aaron Harang (0-2) allowed eight runs and 10 hits in four-plus innings.

“I thought I made some good pitches and they hit them,” Harang said.

So far, Cincinnati‘s starters are 0-3 with a 5.43 ERA.

“Somebody’s got to find a horseshoe around here,” Harang said. “We’ve been fighting every night. You can’t overlook that.”

Johnson (1-1) allowed five hits in six innings and missed tying a career high by one strikeout.

Harang got into big trouble in the fifth, thanks in part to a wild pitch.

Ramirez led off with a single and the Reds were determined to keep him on first, throwing over and then calling a pitchout on the second offering to Cantu. On a 2-2 count, Harang’s fastball was in the dirt, squirting away from catcher Ramon Hernandez and allowing Ramirez to get to second.

Cantu made the mistake a costly one.

“You’ve got to pull out a fire hose to cool him off right now,” Harang said. “It’s unbelievable.”

Ramirez scored easily and another meager Florida crowd — announced at 12,912, clearly about one-fifth that many — stood and cheered Cantu, who waved from second while umpire Jeff Kellogg threw the ball toward the Marlins’ dugout for safekeeping.

“He drives them in, but you need people on base for that to happen,” Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “That’s not easy. So the guys in front of him are getting on base and we’re running the bases well. It’s an RBI thing because he’s getting the RBI, but there’s the team out there getting bases.”

Harang allowed eight runs and 10 hits in four-plus innings, his ERA soaring from 4.50 to 7.88.

Before Cantu’s run to open 2010, the previous major league record for having at least one hit and one RBI in every game to start the season had been eight, set back in 1921 by George Kelly of the New York Giants, a year after RBIs became an official statistic.

Cantu tied the Marlins’ single-season record for consecutive games with a hit and an RBI, set last season by Ramirez. Including last season, Cantu has 14 consecutive games with a hit and an RBI, the longest string since Mike Piazza went 15 straight from June 14-July 2, 2000.

He had a chance earlier in Thursday’s game to extend the streak, coming up with one out and runners on first and second in the third inning. Harang was super-cautious on that trip, going outside with three straight fastballs, catching the corner with another for strike one, then walking Cantu on a pitch low and away.

There was a smattering of boos from the small crowd then, all forgotten when Cantu got the hit two innings later.

“It’s fun to watch,” Johnson said.

Ross followed with a two-run double, John Baker added an RBI single to make it 8-1, and Ross knocked in Cantu again with another double in the sixth.

Game notes

Uggla already has two games this season with three hits or more. It took him until July 9 last season to have two of those. … Harang had allowed only nine hits in his first two starts this season. … Two-time Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist Misty May-Treanor threw out one of the ceremonial first pitches. May-Treanor, the wife of former Marlins catcher Matt Treanor and still a South Florida resident, returns to the AVP Tour when its season opens this weekend in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Florida Marlins' Jorge Cantu bats during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Wednesday, April 14, 2010, in Miami. Cantu hit a home run in the fifth inning, making him the first player in major league history to have at least one hit and one RBI in each of [...]]]> Associated Press

Florida Marlins' Jorge Cantu bats during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Wednesday, April 14, 2010, in Miami. Cantu hit a home run in the fifth inning, making him the first player in major league history to have at least one hit and one RBI in each of his team's first nine games, and the Marlins defeated the Reds 5-3.

MIAMI — A hit and an RBI. Jorge Cantu has gotten at least one of each in every game of this young season to put together a unique streak.

Cantu homered Wednesday night, making him the first player in major league history to have at least one hit and one RBI in each of his team’s first nine games, and the Florida Marlins beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-3.

Cantu’s mark dates to 1920, when RBIs became an official statistic. Including last season, Cantu has 13 consecutive games with a hit and an RBI, the longest string since Mike Piazza went 15 straight from June 14-July 2, 2000.

Cantu hit a solo home run in the fifth inning. He entered the game tied with George Kelly of the 1921 New York Giants with at least one hit and RBI in the opening eight games, based on research by the Elias Sports Bureau.

“It’s a great honor,” Cantu said. “I’m going to keep pushing myself and get hungrier for more.”

Cantu had hit into a double play and struck out in his two previous at-bats before coming up with nobody on and one out in the fifth. He drove Homer Bailey’s slider over the wall in left field.

“It’s like, wow, I accomplished something very big,” Cantu said. “It hit me when I was running the bases.”

Brett Carroll homered in his first game of the season for Florida. The Marlins activated him from the 15-day disabled list before the game after his left oblique strain healed. Carroll finished with three hits, including a double and a single, in four at-bats.

“It’s just one game, but it’s humbling,” Carroll said. “Yesterday I’m playing in a rehab game, not knowing what the next move is, and tonight I’m playing left field and exciting things are happening.”

Chris Volstad (1-1) pitched 6 2/3 innings, giving up five hits and three runs while striking out five. Burke Badenhop was successful in his first save opportunity of the season. Volstad threw 117 pitches.

“It didn’t feel like 117,” Volstad says. “Maybe because it wasn’t as hot and humid as it usually is. It felt good to get over that hump and get that pitch count up there.”

Bailey (0-1) allowed five runs on eight hits and four walks in 5 1/3 innings.

“I just couldn’t locate where I wanted to,” Bailey said. “Later (in the game) I started to feel a little better but I made a couple of mistakes and they cost me.”

John Baker singled home Carroll in the sixth for a 5-1 lead. The Reds drew closer in the seventh when Paul Janish hit a two-out, two-run homer off Volstad.

“It pulled us closer but in the end we didn’t get the result we wanted,” Janish said.

The Marlins took a 1-0 lead in the first when Cameron Maybin led off with a single and scored on Baker’s double. Florida added another run in the second when Volstad singled in Gaby Sanchez.

The Reds closed to 2-1 in the fourth when Jonny Gomes singled in Brandon Phillips, who walked to open the inning. It was the first hit given up by Volstad and it came on his 71st pitch.

Game notes

Marlins LF Chris Coghlan missed Wednesday’s game with sore ribs. Last year’s NL Rookie of the Year, he is struggling with a .132 average. He sustained the injury when he made a diving catch of a fly ball in Tuesday’s game. … Marlins RHP Jose Veras was designated for assignment on Wednesday. The Marlins recalled RHP Chris Leroux from Triple-A New Orleans. INF Emilio Bonifacio was optioned to New Orleans.

7:10 PM ET, April 14, 2010 Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida

MIAMI, FL — Another game, another hit, another RBI.

Florida Marlins third baseman Jorge Cantu has been on a roll at the plate. His team would like to follow suit.

With Cantu looking to accomplish something no other player has since the RBI [...]]]> STATS LLC

7:10 PM ET, April 14, 2010 Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida

MIAMI, FL — Another game, another hit, another RBI.

Florida Marlins third baseman Jorge Cantu has been on a roll at the plate. His team would like to follow suit.

With Cantu looking to accomplish something no other player has since the RBI became an official statistic in 1920, the Marlins will try to snap a two-game losing streak Wednesday when they host the Cincinnati Reds.

After grounding out and striking out in his first two at-bats in Tuesday’s 10-8, 11-inning loss, Cantu had an RBI single off Reds right-hander Bronson Arroyo during the Marlins’ four-run fifth. The hit made Cantu the first player since George Kelly of the 1921 New York Giants to have at least one hit and one RBI in the first eight games of the season.

“Wow,” said Cantu, who is batting .303 with two homers and 13 RBIs. “I didn’t know that. Wow. I’m speechless. What a great accomplishment.”

Dating back to last season, the 28-year-old has a hit and an RBI in his last 12 games. His streak to open 2010 is the longest overall in the NL since Mike Piazza’s 15-game stretch with the New York Mets from June 14-July 2, 2000.

While Cantu is on the verge of history, the Marlins (4-4) are looking to get back on track after dropping two straight in extra innings to the Reds (5-3).

“I don’t know about the team, but I have a couple of headaches,” said Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez, whose team lost 6-5 in 10 innings Monday.

Right-hander Homer Bailey (0-0, 5.40 ERA) will try to give the Marlins’ skipper another one Wednesday when he gets the ball for Cincinnati, which is trying to win for the sixth time in seven games as this four-game series continues.

Bailey, though, struggled in Friday’s 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs. The 23-year-old gave up three runs and seven hits over five innings and also had two walks, two hit batters and a balk.

“No matter what was going on, there were times I felt like I couldn’t buy an out,” Bailey told the Reds’ official Web site after his 106-pitch outing.

In his only career start against Florida, Bailey matched a career high with eight strikeouts in a 4-3 home loss Sept. 18.

The Marlins counter with Chris Volstad (0-1, 2.84), who will try to slow down a Reds team that’s won all five of its games in its final at-bat.

“We’re the type of team that’s not going to give up,” said second baseman Brandon Phillips, who went 4 for 6 on Tuesday and followed Joey Votto’s go-ahead RBI single in the 11th with another run-scoring single.

Volstad will try to prevent Cincinnati from winning its second straight series. The 6-foot-8 right-hander, who allowed a team-high 29 home runs last season, held the Los Angeles Dodgers scoreless before allowing three seventh-inning runs in a 7-3 loss. Volstad went 6 1/3 innings, striking out two while giving up five hits.

In his only career start against Cincinnati, Volstad was tagged for four runs and seven hits in a 7-0 home loss May 5.

Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez had a season-high three hits Tuesday to improve his batting average to .387. He is hitting .438 with six homers and 15 RBIs in 15 career home games versus the Reds.

Votto went 3 for 5 on Tuesday and is batting .500 during a five-game hitting streak at Sun Life Stadium.

Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto watches his ball after hitting during the 11th inning of a baseball game against the Florida Marlins, Tuesday, April 13, 2010 in Miami. Votto drove in the go-ahead run with a two-out single as the Reds defeated the Marlins 10-8 in 11 innings.

MIAMI — Dusty [...]]]> Associated Press

Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto watches his ball after hitting during the 11th inning of a baseball game against the Florida Marlins, Tuesday, April 13, 2010 in Miami. Votto drove in the go-ahead run with a two-out single as the Reds defeated the Marlins 10-8 in 11 innings.

MIAMI — Dusty Baker was in mid-sentence, discussing the Cincinnati Reds‘ second successive extra-inning victory, when he lost his train of thought and stammered to a halt.

“I can’t even think,” he said with a chuckle. “I’m so tired.”

So far the Reds’ season has been exhausting but exhilarating, with all five wins coming in their final at-bat. Joey Votto drove in the go-ahead run with a two-out single in the 11th inning Tuesday, and Cincinnati outlasted the Florida Marlins, 10-8.

The Reds won despite blowing a 6-1 lead. They beat the Marlins 6-5 in 10 innings in the series opener Monday.

“Winning games like this late hasn’t happened for us a whole lot since I’ve been on this team, man, so it’s definitely refreshing,” said pitcher Bronson Arroyo, who joined the Reds in 2006. “You look back five months from now, and those are huge wins that can really change the standings for us.”

As for the Marlins: “I don’t know about the team, but I have a couple of headaches,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

Jonny Gomes and Ryan Hanigan hit three-run homers to aid the Reds’ latest victory. Brandon Phillips had four hits, including a single to drive in an insurance run in the 11th.

Hanigan singled to start the inning against Dan Meyer (0-1). He advanced on a sacrifice and Drew Stubbs walked. After left fielder Chris Coghlan robbed Orlando Cabrera with a lunging catch on the warning track, Votto’s soft liner on a 2-2 pitch just eluded a leaping Hanley Ramirez at shortstop.

The ball ticked off Ramirez’s glove. That’s how close the series has been.

“I just tried to put the ball in play,” Votto said. “I broke my bats. That’s the way the game works sometimes.”

Jorge Cantu of Florida singled home a run and became the first player since 1921 to have at least one hit and one RBI in the first eight games of a season.

“Wow,” Cantu said. “I didn’t know that. Wow. I’m speechless. What a great accomplishment.”

Cantu also mishandled a grounder at third base for an error that led to three unearned runs in the fourth inning. They scored when Hanigan hit his first homer of the year with two out.

“It just ate me. I misplayed it,” Cantu said.

The Marlins are last in the majors in fielding.

Micah Owings (2-0) struck out three in two scoreless innings. Francisco Cordero pitched a perfect 11th for his fourth save in four chances.

“Winning the close games, that’s big,” Owings said. “All the great teams, that’s what they do. We’re having a lot of fun right now.”

Gomes, who entered batting .125, hit his second homer of the season in the second inning and added an RBI single in the eighth. Phillips, who began the night batting .185, went 4 for 6 with two RBIs and scored twice. Votto had three of the Reds’ 13 hits.

Florida trailed 8-5 when Ramirez led off the eighth with a single. Ronny Paulino walked with two out, and Cody Ross followed with his first homer of the year. Daniel Ray Herrera struck out Cameron Maybin with the bases loaded to end the inning.

The Marlins’ Nate Robertson gave up six runs, three earned, in five innings. He allowed two home runs, and the Reds’ Jay Bruce lost a homer in the second inning on a replay review.

Arroyo allowed five runs in six innings.

Announced attendance was 10,681, but the actual crowd was about 2,500. Even so, there were plenty of cheers when Cantu extended his streak in the fifth inning.

The Marlins said that since the RBI became an official statistic in 1920, the only other player with such a streak was George Kelly of the New York Giants in 1921, based on research by the Elias Sports Bureau.

Including the end of last season, Cantu has both a hit and an RBI in 12 consecutive games, the longest such streak in the NL since Mike Piazza had a 15-game streak in 2000.

Gomes’ home run came after Phillips doubled and Scott Rolen walked. Bruce followed with a drive down the right-field line and was ruled a homer by first base umpire Larry Vanover, but a replay review determined the ball went foul.

Game notes

Coghlan went 0 for 5 and is in a 1-for-23 slump. … RHP Homer Bailey, scheduled to start Wednesday for the Reds, matched a career high with eight strikeouts in his only previous start against Florida. … Robertson came up with the second pickoff of his career when he got Votto in the first inning.

7:10 PM ET, April 13, 2010 Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida

MIAMI — Jorge Cantu is off to a superb start to 2010. The Florida Marlins, however, haven’t capitalized on his success.

Cantu looks to extend a pair of offensive streaks Tuesday night when the Marlins try to rebound from another series-opening defeat [...]]]> STATS LLC

7:10 PM ET, April 13, 2010 Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida

MIAMI — Jorge Cantu is off to a superb start to 2010. The Florida Marlins, however, haven’t capitalized on his success.

Cantu looks to extend a pair of offensive streaks Tuesday night when the Marlins try to rebound from another series-opening defeat as they face the Cincinnati Reds.

Cantu is 9 for 28 with five doubles, two homers and 12 RBIs while getting a hit and driving in a run in each of the season’s first seven games — the longest such streak in the NL since 2005.

The Marlins (4-3), though, have struggled to take advantage of the third baseman’s impressive start, losing the first game of each of the three series to begin 2010. They’ve rallied for two wins in each of the previous two series, but will need a third to take this four-game set with the Reds (4-3).

Cantu had two hits, including a two-run double, but Florida fell 6-5 in 10 innings to Cincinnati in Monday’s series opener, failing to complete a third consecutive comeback win.

“We can’t play catch-up baseball every night,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “You can’t have those types of games every night.”

Nate Robertson (1-0, 1.80) will try to get the Marlins off to a stronger start with another solid outing. The left-hander allowed one run and six hits in five innings of a 3-1 road win against the New York Mets on Thursday.

“I was able to throw all my pitches for strikes. I needed to do it a little bit earlier in the count,” said Robertson, who was acquired in a trade from Detroit on March 30.

Robertson, who started his career with the Marlins in 2002, is trying to re-establish himself as a reliable starter after various injuries limited him to 28 games — six starts — with the Tigers last year.

He failed to get a decision in his lone start against the Reds in 2006, scattering three hits in 7 1/3 innings while striking out seven in Detroit’s 1-0 win.

The Reds are looking to win for the fifth time in six games after opening 0-2.

Scott Rolen came up big Monday with two solo homers and the go-ahead RBI single in the 10th. The third baseman hit .305 with 11 homers and 67 RBIs in 128 games with Cincinnati and Toronto last year.

“The ball carried for me all night,” said Rolen, who is hitting .318 with three homers and four RBIs in six games. “All of a sudden I’m having a good year.”

Bronson Arroyo (0-0, 1.13 ERA) might appreciate some offensive support in his second start of the season. Cincinnati only gave him four hits Thursday when the right-hander didn’t factor in the decision of a 2-1 win over St. Louis despite allowing one run and four hits in eight innings.

That’s also been the theme of his four starts against Florida since joining Cincinnati prior to 2007. He’s 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA in those outings, while getting 10 total runs of help.

Reds' Scott Rolen watches his ball as he hits a home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Florida Marlins.

MIAMI — Scott Rolen homered in his first two at-bats, then put just enough muscle into his final swing to give the Cincinnati Reds a 10-inning win.

Rolen [...]]]> Associated Press

Reds' Scott Rolen watches his ball as he hits a home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Florida Marlins.

MIAMI — Scott Rolen homered in his first two at-bats, then put just enough muscle into his final swing to give the Cincinnati Reds a 10-inning win.

Rolen hit a liner off the end of the bat that barely cleared second baseman Dan Uggla’s glove, and the single drove in the go-ahead run Monday to help beat the Florida Marlins 6-5.

“The ball carried for me all night,” Rolen said. “All of a sudden I’m having a good year.”

He hit solo home runs in the second and fourth innings and has three homers this season after hitting 11 in 2009.

The Marlins nearly earned their third consecutive comeback win, twice erasing deficits, but missed a chance at victory in the bottom of the ninth. They loaded the bases with one out against Nick Masset (2-0), but he escaped when Ronny Paulino struck out and Cody Ross grounded out on a 3-2 sinker.

“I definitely made it interesting,” Masset said.

“I think I swung at ball four,” Ross said.

Reds manager Dusty Baker held his breath with the Marlins one pitch from winning on a walk-off walk.

“Man, that’s stuff you play as a kid,” he said. “You say, `Throw one more strike.”

Florida went down in order in the 10th against Francisco Cordero, who earned his third save in three chances.

“It just didn’t work out in our favor,” Ross said. “We had been winning those kinds of games, but tonight you have to give them credit.”

Few saw the drama. Announced attendance was 10,119, and the actual crowd totaled about 3,000. Florida has finished last in the NL in attendance every year since 2005.

Joey Votto started the 10th with a walk against Burke Badenhop (0-1). He advanced on a sacrifice and scored on Rolen’s one-out single, which a leaping Uggla nearly caught.

“Talk about a game of inches,” Baker said.

Uggla went 4 for 4 with two doubles and an RBI.

Teammate Jorge Cantu hit a two-run double in the third, increasing his RBI total to 12. He has at least one hit and one RBI in each of the first seven games, the longest such streak to start a season in the NL since 2005.

Orlando Cabrera hit a two-run homer for the Reds.

Both starters labored. The Reds’ Johnny Cueto needed 110 pitches to get through five innings, and he gave up four runs. Ricky Nolasco gave up all three homers and allowed five runs in six innings.

The Marlins scored three times in the third to take a 4-2 lead. Cantu doubled in a pair of runs and scored on Uggla’s double.

Pinch-hitter Paulino’s infield single with two out in the seventh tied it at 5.

The Reds went ahead 2-0 in the second inning when they bunched three consecutive hits — Rolen’s homer, a double by Jay Bruce and Laynce Nix’s RBI single.

“We can’t play catch-up baseball every night,” Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “You can’t have those types of games every night.”

The Marlins, last in the majors in fielding, made one costly defensive mistake. Drew Stubbs reached on a single to start the fifth when shortstop Hanley Ramirez slipped fielding his routine grounder. Two pitches later, Cabrera homered for a 5-4 Cincinnati lead.

Florida loaded the bases in the second but scored only once — when Gaby Sanchez grounded into a double play.

Game notes

Rolen had his 20th multihomer game but his first since Sept. 15, 2006. … Reds RHP Bronson Arroyo, scheduled to start Tuesday, is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in four career games in Miami. … Marlins CF Cameron Maybin robbed Votto with a diving catch in the seventh. … Bruce had two hits and snapped an 0-for-17 slump.

7:10 PM ET, April 12, 2010 Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida

MIAMI — With his productive and clutch play, Jorge Cantu has helped the Florida Marlins get off to a strong start.

After getting a big game from Cantu to rally for their second straight win, the Marlins open a four-game [...]]]> STATS LLC

7:10 PM ET, April 12, 2010 Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida

MIAMI — With his productive and clutch play, Jorge Cantu has helped the Florida Marlins get off to a strong start.

After getting a big game from Cantu to rally for their second straight win, the Marlins open a four-game series with the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night.

An 11-1 start last season gave Florida some confidence, helping it finish in second place in the NL East. The Marlins have had a strong first week of this season, winning four of their last five.

Cantu, who had 100 RBIs last season, has been a big part of that success. He tied a career high with five RBIs as the Marlins rallied to beat Los Angeles 6-5 on Sunday.

Florida (4-2) was trailing 4-0 before Cantu hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning. He then gave the Marlins a 6-5 lead with a two-run double in the seventh.

Cantu capped a three-run rally in the ninth the previous night with a sacrifice fly in a 7-6 victory over the Dodgers.

“We’re the kings of drama,” Cantu said. “Everybody here is used to that.”

The veteran first baseman has 10 RBIs, notching at least one in all six games. Cantu is batting .345 with three home runs and five RBIs in six home games against the Reds (3-3).

“I’m trying not to do too much,” he said. “I’m seeing the ball very well.”

Cantu has helped Florida overcome some sloppy play and poor relief pitching. The Marlins have committed 10 errors, and their bullpen has a 4.95 ERA.

Ricky Nolasco (0-0, 4.05), set to start for Florida, was the victim of poor relief pitching in his first outing. He was sharp over 6 2/3 innings before being lifted in a 7-6, 10-inning win over New York on Wednesday night.

Nolasco was cruising before walking the first two to start the seventh with the Marlins leading 6-1. The right-hander left after allowing a second run on a sacrifice fly.

He was charged with three runs, allowing three hits and striking out five.

Nolasco is 1-1 with a 5.11 ERA in four starts and one relief appearance against the Reds.

Cincinnati will counter with Johnny Cueto (0-0, 3.00), who had a strong first start, giving up two runs in six innings of a 6-3 loss to St. Louis on Wednesday night.

The right-hander earned a win in his only outing against the Marlins, surrendering three runs and striking out eight in six innings as the Reds won 11-3 on June 6, 2008.

Cincinnati got a boost from rookie starter Mike Leake in a 3-1 win over Chicago on Sunday. The Reds have won three of four after an 0-2 start despite scoring 13 runs over that span.

Cleanup hitter Joey Votto doesn’t have an RBI or an extra-base hit since a solo homer in the season opener. Votto had a two-run homer in an 8-1 win over Florida on Sept. 20 in these teams’ last meeting.

The Reds and Marlins split six matchups last season.

Ohio's Armon Bassett (0) and Miami of Ohio's Nick Winbush collide under the basket in the first half of a semifinal round NCAA college basketball game at the Mid-American Conference tournament Friday, March 12, 2010, in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND — Armon Bassett scored 28 points and DeVaughn Washington added 18 as ninth-seeded Ohio [...]]]> Associated Press

Ohio's Armon Bassett (0) and Miami of Ohio's Nick Winbush collide under the basket in the first half of a semifinal round NCAA college basketball game at the Mid-American Conference tournament Friday, March 12, 2010, in Cleveland.

CLEVELAND — Armon Bassett scored 28 points and DeVaughn Washington added 18 as ninth-seeded Ohio advanced to the final of the Mid-American Conference tournament by beating cold-shooting Miami (Ohio) 54-42 in the semifinals Friday night.

The Bobcats (20-14), who upset top-seeded Kent State in the quarterfinals, will meet third-seeded Akron in Saturday’s championship. The winner gets the MAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Akron won both regular-season matchups between the schools.

Bassett, who made his way to Ohio after stops at Indiana and Alabama-Birmingham, scored six straight points during a 13-2 burst in the second half when the Bobcats put away the RedHawks (14-18).

Ohio is in the final for the first time since winning the tourney title in 2005.

Kenny Hayes scored 12 for fourth-seeded Miami, which shot 35 percent from the floor and scored 12 points in the first half.