105th and final loss for Pirates _ Uggla-led Florida Marlins beat Pittsburgh 5-2

Uggla helps Marlins beat Pirates 5-2

MIAMI — Dan Uggla homered and drove in three runs Sunday, sending the Pittsburgh Pirates to their 105th and final defeat when they lost to the Florida Marlins 5-2.

Anibal Sanchez (13-12) allowed one earned run in six innings.

The Pirates finished their record-extending 18th consecutive losing season at 57-105, worst in the majors. The only time the Pirates had more defeats in baseball’s modern era was in 1952, when they went 42-112.

Pittsburgh finished 17-64 away from home, matching the 1963 New York Mets for the worst road record in a 162-game season.

Uggla hit a two-run homer in the first inning and added an RBI double in the seventh. He finished with 33 homers and 105 RBIs, both career highs, and received a standing ovation from the crowd of 31,803 when he came out of the game in the eighth.

Pittsburgh’s Ronny Cedeno hit his eighth home run.

For both teams, the offseason will begin with the focus on the manager’s job. The Marlins will move quickly in their search for a manager for 2011, president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said, with interim manager Edwin Rodriguez among four or five candidates under consideration.

Rodriguez went 46-46 after replacing Fredi Gonzalez, and the Marlins finished a disappointing 80-82, their first sub-.500 record since 2007.

The game also may have been the last for Pirates manager John Russell, whose three-year record is 186-299.

The finale included a rhubarb. Wes Helms’ two-out fly in the sixth inning was initially ruled a three-run homer, but the umpires reversed the call following a reply review, and Helms settled for an RBI double. Rodriguez argued and was ejected for the third time this season.

The replay cost Florida two runs when Brad Davis struck out to strand the two runners who thought they had scored.

Helms also made the defensive play of the game at third, leaping over the rolled-up tarp to catch a foul ball and coming to rest wedged between the tarp and the retaining wall. Adding to the humorous scene, umpire Angel Hernandez climbed atop the tarp on his knees to make the out call.

Clay Hensley pitched a hitless ninth for his seventh save in 10 chances to complete a four-hitter.

Pittsburgh’s Brian Burres (4-5) allowed three runs in 5 2-3 innings. He had an ERA of 3.18 in his final six starts after rejoining the rotation.

NOTES: Pittsburgh tied for the second-most away losses by any major league team since 1900, according to STATS LLC. The only worse road team than Pittsburgh in the modern era: the 1935 Boston Braves, who went 13-65. The 1916 Philadelphia A’s went 13-64. … The Marlins’ home attendance totaled 1.54 million. They finished last in the NL for the sixth year in a row, and third-worst in the majors. The season total included 10,332 tickets for the perfect game Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay pitched against the Marlins sold as souvenirs afterward. … MRI exam determined Marlins RHP Alex Sanabia has a strained ligament in his right elbow. … In his final at-bat, Florida’s speedy Emilio Bonifacio grounded into a double play for the first time this season.