THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN DIEGO - Scott Olsen came within three outs of stopping a record streak the Florida Marlins would rather forget.
Olsen pitched eight strong innings and appeared to be on his way to Florida's first complete game in 267 tries, the longest drought in major league history. But the left-hander was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the ninth as the Marlins added a couple of insurance runs Wednesday for a 5-2 victory over the San Diego Padres.
Mike Jacobs and Hanley Ramirez homered to back Olsen, who hasn't thrown a complete game in 87 career starts, the ninth-longest streak in big league history.
"We were in a situation to add on some runs," Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez said in explaining why he pinch hit for Olsen with two outs in a 4-1 game. "You need to do it."
Had Olsen's spot in the lineup not come up when the Marlins sent eight batters to the plate, Gonzalez said he would have sent the left-hander out to pitch the ninth.
"He understood that," Gonzalez said. "He was in the dugout cheering."
Olsen (5-4) allowed one run and four hits while throwing 97 pitches through eight innings.
"You have to play for runs," said Olsen, who was in the on-deck circle when he was called back for pinch-hitter Wes Helms. "Unless the guy before me hit a three-run home run, I knew I was coming out."
Anibal Sanchez pitched Florida's last complete game on Sept. 16, 2006, a 2-1 loss at Atlanta.
The Marlins scored twice in the ninth after loading the bases with one out. John Baker hit a sacrifice fly off reliever Joe Thatcher for a 4-1 lead. After Alfredo Amezaga walked to load the bases again, Gonzalez sent up Helms to bat for Olsen. Thatcher walked Helms to force in a run.
Baker, who made his major league debut at catcher after being recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque on Tuesday, was told of the Marlins' record-setting streak. His response?
"I should have hit a grand slam instead of a sacrifice fly," a smiling Baker said.
Olsen cruised through the first eight innings, allowing only a homer to Scott Hairston leading off the sixth. The Padres advanced just one runner to second base in the first five innings before Hairston's home run.
