Willis earns franchise-record 19th win

MIAMI -- It was vintage D-Train, rolling along into the Marlins' record books by doing whatever it takes.
Dontrelle Willis gave up two runs on seven hits in 8 1/3 innings, collected two hits and scored a run with a head-first slide, leading the Marlins to a 4-2 win over the Mets in front of 25,916 on Friday night at Dolphins Stadium.
With his uniform caked in dirt, Willis has made pitching a skill position, sacrificing himself for the betterment of the team.
Now 19-8, the D-Train eclipsed the Marlins record for wins in a season, topping the 18 wins turned in by Carl Pavano last year. He's now tied with St. Louis' Chris Carpenter for the Major League lead in wins. And if not for two Mets hits in the ninth inning, Willis was in position for his seventh complete game. Instead, he was lifted after David Wright's single scored Carlos Beltran with an unearned run with one out. Todd Jones entered and completed his 33rd save, keeping the Marlins 1 1/2 games off the Wild Card pace held by the Phillies.
"[Willis] steps up," said Marlins manager Jack McKeon, who logged career win No. 999. "You talk about big-time winners. Here's a guy who steps up. He walks the walk, and talks the talk. He can field, he can hit. He can bunt -- most of the time. He holds the runners.
"He's the complete package. Why has he got 19 wins? He takes pride in the other things, that's what enables him to stay in the game for nine innings, or 8 1/3, and you don't have to pinch-hit for him. I thought he was very sharp tonight."
Victor Zambrano (7-11) gave up four runs on 12 hits in five-plus innings, suffering the loss for the Mets, who have lost three straight and are 3 1/2 games behind the Phillies.
A two-time All-Star, Willis has now won four straight decisions since Aug. 17. He's allowed four earned runs in 29 2/3 innings in those starts, an ERA of 1.21.
In his career, he is 7-1 against the Mets with a 1.93 ERA.
Primed to become the first 20-game winner in team history, the Alameda, Calif., resident is overwhelmed about reaching that benchmark.
"It's bigger than just me," Willis said. "For the most part, it's something that I can't fathom. Obviously, I'm close, but it's historical. I never thought I'd be in the history books as far as individual awards, and what have you."
The Marlins slapped out 12 hits and left 12 on base, and had numerous chances to break the game open. Still, they were able to manufacture four runs, and it was enough.
The Marlins went up, 2-1, in the third inning on Mike Lowell's sacrifice fly liner to center, scoring Carlos Delgado in a bases-loaded situation. And in the sixth inning, Florida padded its lead with a pair of runs on Juan Pierre's RBI single and Luis Castillo's fielder's choice RBI. Willis doubled and made a head-first slide home to score on Castillo's grounder to second base. Miguel Cairo didn't hesitate throwing home on the soft grounder, and Willis extended himself, swiping the plate with his left hand before being tagged by catcher Ramon Castro.
Seeing Willis airborne creates some tense moments for the Marlins, who have become accustomed to the left-hander's all-out style.
"I looked at the second baseman and I figured I'd go hard and give up my body to get in there," Willis said. "It was key. It was all about just putting pressure on their guy. I wasn't able to put down any bunts today. I'm upset about that, but I was able to get some key hits for the team."
Delgado calls Willis "phenomenal."
"It's like sweet and sour, because we get pumped up, and then we get a little panicked," Delgado said. "We're saying, 'Please get up and be all right.' You don't want him hurting his finger or his shoulder. That's his bread and butter.
"We want that run, too, but we want him to shut down the opposition today, and in five days and in 10 days. That's the way I look at it. He's fun to watch. He can put the bat on the ball. He's got energy. He's a good asset. He's an athlete out there."
McKeon has grown accustomed to Willis playing with dirt all over his uniform; the 74-year-old manager doesn't discourage it.
"I don't care about his slides, as long as he's ready to go the next time out," McKeon said. "He loves the game. He plays the game the way it's supposed to be played. There's a lot of kid in him. You can't take that away from him."
Juan Encarnacion's two-out RBI single gave the Marlins a first-inning lead. Castillo, who singled, scored from second. The Marlins had a scoring chance thwarted in the second inning when left fielder Cliff Floyd threw out Alex Gonzalez trying to score from second on Pierre's single to left.
The Mets tied it at 1 in the third inning when Castro doubled and scored on Jose Reyes' single to center.
New York managed little else until the ninth inning, when Beltran reached on an infield single and moved to second on Gonzalez's throwing error. With one out, Wright's RBI single produced the Mets' second run, causing Willis to exit after 111 pitches.

Source: http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/