The Associated Press

Florida's Juan Pierre hits a two-run RBI double in the sixth inning as San Francisco catcher Benito Santiago watches Wednesday. (Associated Press photo) | ZOOM |

SAN FRANCISCO - Juan Pierre is sure everyone ruled out his wild-card Florida Marlins in their playoff matchup with the San Francisco Giants.

And suddenly, somehow, the Marlins have the momentum.

Juan Encarnacion homered and Pierre wound up with a bases-loaded double on a misplay by Jose Cruz Jr. in a decisive three-run sixth as Florida rallied to beat San Francisco 9-5 Wednesday, evening the series at one game each.

"Getting down 4-1, I think they were confident they would get us again," said Pierre, who had four hits and drove in three runs. "We put the pressure on them and kept the pressure on."

Pierre led a 15-hit effort, a day after Florida was held to just three. The Marlins overcame a three-run deficit in the fifth.

"A lot of people doubted this team and thought we couldn't win," said Lenny Harris, who delivered a key pinch-hit single in the sixth. "We showed them a little something - that we're not afraid of them."

The Marlins got the split they so desperately needed at Pacific Bell Park, and did it by getting away from the small ball that sent them on this improbable playoff journey.

After Barry Bonds helped the Giants take an early lead, Sidney Ponson couldn't hold it.

Game 3 is Friday in Miami. Kirk Rueter pitches for San Francisco against Mark Redman.

"It was just a weird day," Giants first baseman J.T. Snow said. "They are a good team. There's a reason they are here. When you get to this point in the year, there's no quit in anybody."

Most of all, Florida kept Bonds from doing major damage. Rookie Dontrelle Willis, the Marlins' probable Game 4 starter, did his part by relieving in the eighth and retiring Bonds on a foul-out.

"They played better. They won. That's the end of it. Go away," Bonds said.

On Pierre's fly ball in the sixth, Cruz slipped where the grass meets the warning track and the ball flew over him.

Cruz said it was the worst day he'd experienced in this tricky right field.

"I stepped on a mud patch and slipped there," he said. "It was a difficult wind, the shadows, the fog. I don't think we've played in those conditions before."

Losing pitcher Joe Nathan was tagged for three runs on four hits in the Giants' shaky sixth, with Encarnacion's shot tying it at 5. Jeff Conine, Alex Gonzalez and Harris all singled and Jason Christiansen relieved.

Christiansen immediately gave up the crazy double to Pierre.

Conine's groundout in the seventh made it 8-5. Pierre scored an unearned run in the eighth on the error by Grissom.

The Giants took a 5-4 lead in the fifth after pinch hitter Pedro Feliz tripled and scored on Snow's single. Then, the Marlins began their impressive comeback.

The man who bats behind Bonds - Edgardo Alfonzo - has become a big focus in this series. Alfonzo is 4-for-8 in two games and hit a two-run double in the fourth.

The Marlins didn't get near the outing from Brad Penny that Josh Beckett gave them in Tuesday's 2-0 loss, but it didn't matter.

Penny lasted four innings and allowed four runs on four hits, struck out five and walked one.