Marlins end Dodgers' perfect game bid in eighth inning

MIAMI – The Miami Marlins' Jeff Francoeur lined a single to left field with two outs in the eighth inning against Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Joe Blanton on Saturday night, ending a bid for a perfect game, in a contest the Dodgers won 5-0.

Rich Hill threw seven perfect innings, striking out nine and throwing 89 pitches.

With the Dodgers ahead 5-0, first-year manager Dave Roberts replaced the 35-year-old left-hander with Joe Blanton at the start of the eighth inning.

Blanton stuck out Christian Yelich and retired Marcell Ozuna on a groundout before the clean hit by Francouer.

Left fielder Yasiel Puig, brought back from the minors on Sept. 2, made an outstanding diving catch for the final out of the seventh to preserve the bid.

Martin Prado hit a drive to deep left-center, and Puig sprinted and as he approached the warning track dived toward the wall to make the catch 356 feet from the plate.

Hill entered a combined 11-3 with a 1.94 ERA in 16 starts this year for Oakland the Dodgers, who acquired him on Aug. 1. He has just three complete games in 91 big league starts over 12 seasons.

Hill spent time on the disabled list this year with groin and blister injuries.