PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Carl Pavano worked six scoreless innings and Mike Lowell knocked in four runs as the Florida Marlins posted a 7-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Pavano (2-2) had little trouble with one of the National League's best lineups, yielding just two hits. The righthander walked one, struck out five and departed after throwing 61 of 97 pitches for strikes.
Lowell gave Pavano an early cushion to work with, delivering a two-run triple in the first inning off Kevin Millwood (2-1). He also reached Millwood for a two-run double in the fourth, giving the Marlins a 7-0 lead.
"It is huge to go out there and get those runs," Pavano said. "When they give you those runs you have to go out and stay strong. My biggest thing was to go out there and get the first out and go from there."
"Pavano has been outstanding the whole season," Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said. "The first outing he had against the Phillies he was really doing a heck of a job and then in the fifth inning he gave two runs and the next three. But he was throwing real well and has thrown well all season. He is big. I predicted in spring training that he would have a breakout year."
Luis Castillo added three hits, three stolen bases and scored twice for Florida, which gained a split of the four-game series. Juan Pierre also stroked a two-run triple.
Millwood, who was making his second start since returning from a groin injury, was ripped for seven runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked four and struck out five in losing for the first time in seven career decisions at Veterans Stadium.
"I just didn't get it done," Millwood said. "My warmups went well. I wasn't tired. Nothing felt bad. It just didn't happen today."
"He just looked like he was out of rhythm today and his control wasn't like it normally is," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said. "When Kevin's on, he's strike one, strike two. You're going to have games like that when you go to the post 35 times a year."
The Marlins had Millwood in trouble from the outset. Castillo singled with one out in the first and stole second before Ivan Rodriguez drew a walk. Juan Encarnacion stuck out, but Lowell came through with his first career triple to give the Marlins a 2-0 lead.
"(It) felt great. Just wanted to take some time to do it so I knew I could enjoy it," joked Lowell, who is in his sixth major league season. "Hopefully I am around another four years so I can notch number two."
Pavano had no such problems with the Phillies. He retired the first six batters before allowing a leadoff double to Todd Pratt. But he set down the next three hitters to get out of the inning.
Pavano surrendered just one other a hit, a one-out single to Bobby Abreu in the bottom of the fourth. He worked out of trouble in that inning by striking out Jin Thome and retiring Pat Burrell on a grounder to third base.
The Marlins matched a club record with four stolen bases in the fourth inning, when they scored five times to extend the lead to 7-0. Florida also stole four bases in the fourth inning at Montreal on April 15, 2001.
"We put some good at-bats on them, ran the bases real well," Torborg said. "We tried to advance ourselves, move up and add on if we could. I am very pleased with the job they did."
With the bases loaded and none out, Pierre produced the big hit, a two-run double over the head of center fielder Ricky Ledee. Castillo had an RBI single and Lowell capped the inning with a two-run double down the right field line, making it 7-0.
"It happens sometimes," Pratt said. "I expect him five days from now to be Kevin Millwood again."
After Pavano departed, the Phillies got on the board in the seventh on Pratt's two-run triple off Blaine Neal. Leddee hit a solo homer in the ninth to cap the scoring.
