By Scott Brown
Florida Today

MIAMI - It is way too early in the postseason to start attaching the word destiny to a team. But the Florida Marlins had to leave Pro Player Stadium on Friday night thinking their season is at least charmed.

San Francisco Giants right fielder Jose Cruz Jr., who has been touted for a Gold Glove by his manager, dropped a routine fly ball in the bottom of the 11th inning. That eventually led to a Ivan (Pudge) Rodriguez at-bat that proved to be as decisive as it was dramatic.

Rodriguez drilled a two-out, two-run single that lifted the Marlins to a 4-3 come-from-behind win in front of an announced crowd of 61,488 at Pro Player Stadium.

The victory gave Florida a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five National League Division Series. The Marlins can close out the Giants here on Saturday.

"Obviously, things are going right for us right now," said Marlins left fielder Jeff Conine, whose lazy fly ball somehow ignited a Florida rally in the 11th.

Rodriguez is headed to Cooperstown one day, but the Marlins catcher admitted he has never had a game like this one.

All he did was belt a two-run homer, plate the tying and winning runs with a clutch hit, throw out a Giants base runner who was trying to steal third and break up a double play with a hard slide into second base.

His play is, in fact, a continuation of the final two weeks of the regular season, Marlins manager Jack McKeon said.

"He led the way doing all of the little things, all of the unselfish things," McKeon said. "He's showing that leadership to all of these guys."

Rodriguez's two-run homer in the first inning gave the Marlins an early lead. The Giants erased the 2-0 deficit in the sixth after scraping together a pair of runs against Marlins starter Mark Redman, and the teams eventually went to extra innings.

The Marlins left the bases loaded in the 10th and looked like they would do the same in the 11th after a Luis Castillo ground ball led to a force out at the plate with one out.

Rodriguez then fell behind 1-2 to Giants closer Tim Worrell and feebly fouled off another pitch before lining a base hit into right field, scoring Alex Gonzalez and Juan Pierre.

"I just tried to put the bat on the ball and put the ball in play," said Rodriguez, who lost three times in the first round of the playoffs when he was with Texas. "I'm seeing the ball pretty good right now."

Giants manager Felipe Alou had to be seeing red after his team took a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the 11th - and it could have been bigger as San Francisco loaded the bases with one out, but couldn't score any more runs - only to watch the Marlins rally.

Alou refused to believe that his team might be demoralized.

"I don't like the word devastate," said Alou, who might start Game 1 winner Jason Schmidt instead of Jerome Robertson Saturday. "For me, it does not exist. We lost a game that we should have won. That's it."

Indeed, Giants pitchers held Marlins catalyst Pierre hitless in five at-bats and neutralized an offense that got three hits from Castillo, two apiece from Rodriguez and Derrek Lee and just one from the rest of the team.

Despite getting outhit, the Marlins looked like they might win the game in the bottom of the 10th. Castillo and Lee singled and a two-out walk to Juan Encarnacion loaded the bases.

McKeon summoned Lenny Harris, who has the most pinch hits in major league history, to bat for pitcher Carl Pavano.

Harris worked the count to 2-0, but Worrell induced him to pop out in foul territory.

The Giants looked like they would make the Marlins pay for squandering that opportunity. Rich Aurilla walked to open the 11th and Barry Bonds hit a hot shot at Gonzalez, but the Marlins shortstop booted it.

Edgardo Alfonzo blooped a single into right field, scoring Rich Aurilia and giving the Giants third baseman eight hits in 13 at-bats this series. Embattled reliever Braden Looper, who got showered with boos when he walked Aurilia, didn't allow any more runs and worked out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam.

That set the stage for the Marlins.

Actually, Cruz Jr. set it.

"When we got that dropped foul ball, we had the feeling we were going to win," McKeon said.

Gonzalez followed the blunder with a walk, Miguel Cabrera moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt and the Giants intentionally walked Pierre to load the bases.

Castillo hit a weak ground ball back to the mound and Worrell flipped home for the easy out.

That brought up Rodriguez, who showed why he was one of the National League's most dangerous hitters this season with runners in scoring position.

"I was just thinking he was going to hit a line drive up the middle," McKeon said, "but he hit it to right field."

That hit has the underdog Marlins headed in the right direction.

"We play hard for 27 outs," Rodriguez said. "And we don't give up any at-bats or outs."

That much was obvious Friday night.