MIAMI -- Nick Martinez enjoyed his homecoming. Tyler Lydon Nuggets Jersey . And, after an anxious ninth inning, his friends and family got to celebrate a win. Martinez allowed two runs and struck out a career-high seven in six innings of work, Alex Rios drove in two runs and the Texas Rangers survived Miamis last-inning rally to beat the Marlins 5-4 on Wednesday afternoon. Marcell Ozuna and Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered in the ninth for Miami, but the Rangers held on for a split of the quick two-game series. "It was great," said Martinez, who had about 100 family and friends in the stands. "It was very special. I got to pitch where it all started against a team I grew up watching. I thought that was pretty cool and even better than we came out on top." Martinez (3-9) allowed six hits and threw 62 of 96 pitches for strikes. He was born in nearby Hialeah and pitched at Belen Jesuit Prep, about 12 miles from Marlins Park. Leonys Martin had three hits for Texas, which grabbed a 5-0 lead after two innings. And after giving up the two solo homers, Neftali Feliz got his fifth save in six tries, striking out Donovan Solano to end the game with the tying run on base. Feliz closed it out moments after manager Ron Washington visited the mound and nearly pulled him. "He said, Give me one more hitter and he said it like he meant it," Washington said. "So I gave him one more hitter." Marlins starter Nathan Eovaldi (6-8) gave up nine hits and five runs, four earned, in five innings. Martinez had a 3-0 lead before taking the mound in his home city for the first time. Texas -- which had been held to three runs or less in 14 of its last 18 games entering Wednesday -- strung together four straight two-out hits in the opening inning. J.P. Arencibias double brought Rios home with the first run, and Adrian Beltre came around when Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria dropped the relay. Martins single made it 3-0, and Rios second-inning double -- on a popup that dropped in right -- pushed the lead to 5-0. "I was leaving the fastball up in the zone, couldnt get that slider to have that good bite to it," Eovaldi said. "Its tough for us to come back from 5-0 after two innings but we were right there, knocking on the door at the end." Martinez gave up an RBI double to Ozuna in the fourth, then let Ozuna score Miamis second run on a wild pitch. Otherwise, he largely escaped trouble. Ozuna and Christian Yelich each had three hits for Miami. "Too many runs early," Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "Its a day game, 12:40 start, weve got to come out of the chute and put up some zeroes, give our offence a chance to get going. To give up five runs in two innings, that cant happen." TRAINERS ROOM Rangers: In his fifth rehab outing, LHP Derek Holland (microfracture surgery on left knee) gave up seven hits and two earned runs in five-plus innings for Triple-A Round Rock against Tacoma on Tuesday night, earning the win. The Rangers still lead big league teams with 14 players on the DL. Marlins: The Marlins hope to get reliever Dan Jennings back in the coming weeks, and the bullpen will get a boost in the interim. LHP Brad Hand starts Sunday, meaning RHP Brad Penny is eligible for relief work. UP NEXT Rangers: Texas is off Thursday. RHP Colby Lewis (8-10, 5.52) gets the ball for the Rangers on Friday night when they open a weekend homestand against Kansas City and Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura (9-9, 3.48). Itll be the first meeting between the clubs in 2014. Marlins: Following a day off Thursday, the Marlins open a nine-game road trip when RHP Henderson Alvarez (9-5, 2.43) starts Friday at Colorado. LHP Franklin Morales (5-6, 5.04) is the scheduled starter for the Rockies. HOME LETDOWN The Marlins three-game home winning streak was snapped. Miami hasnt won four straight at home since May 4-7. SIZZLING MARTIN Martin is batting .500 (15-30) in his last eight games for Texas, including five multi-hit games. Gary Harris Nuggets Jersey . And I wanted to take this opportunity to share some of my experiences gained through International competition and the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Seven NHL referees and six linesmen will be assigned upcoming games in Sochi by the IIHF as part of their 28-man officiating roster comprised of 14 refs and 14 linesmen. Thomas Welsh Nuggets Jersey . Boston is making its first appearance in the ALCS since 2008. For Detroit, its a third straight trip to the ALCS and its fourth in eight years. http://www.nuggetsproshop.com/Gary-Harris-Nuggets-Jersey/ . Pinch-hitter Tommy Medica singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Padres beat the Seattle Mariners 2-1 in their first home game since Gwynn died of cancer Monday.ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - His return from off-season knee surgery still a few days away, Knowshon Moreno sauntered over to the sideline one hot August afternoon in training camp. In front of him were two young running backs having trouble picking up first downs and blitzes. Asked who he thought would win the featured role in the Denver Broncos backfield, Moreno nodded and flashed a sneaky smile, then spun back to the trainers room. Enough said. Neither Ronnie Hillman nor Montee Ball would pry the football from his grasp, something nobodys been able to do since Atlanta linebacker Stephen Nicholas stripped him on Sept. 17, 2012, which resulted in Morenos two-month banishment to the scout team. That penance left Moreno determined "if I ever do get that call again" to let neither the opportunity nor the football slip through his grasp again. Willis McGahees injury gave Moreno that shot at redemption, and hes lived up to that pledge ever since: in 479 touches since that fateful fumble against the Falcons, Moreno has gotten up with the football in his hands all 479 times. "He plays this game in a way that I absolutely love because its every bit of who he is, and he gives you every bit of what he has," Broncos running backs coach Eric Studesville said. "Hes so amped up and hyped up before the game because hes so excited for it and then he plays with that intensity and that energy and that effort." Moreno holds nothing back, not even his tears, which were captured by TV cameras during the National Anthem when the Broncos visited Kansas City last month. Moreno said in those moments before kickoff, he reflects on all the good and the bad things that have happened in his life and in football and how much he appreciates the opportunity to play the game. Thats when the tears flow. "Ive always been that way, high school and in college," Moreno said. "I guess its just my thing, you know? I play with my emotions on my sleeve." Moreno has had his share of ups and downs in the NFL. After replacing McGahee in 2012, he ran for 510 yards and three TDs in the final six games but blew out a knee early in Denvers playoff game against Baltimore. Without him, the Broncos were unable to run out the clock in the fourth quarter behind an undersized Hiillman, which led to their loss to the Ravens in double-overtime. Paul Millsap Nuggets Jersey. That prompted the Broncos to draft Ball, the bruising 215-pound Badger who scored an NCAA-record 83 touchdowns at Wisconsin, and Hillman bulked up to 195 pounds in the off-season. While Moreno continued his rehab from his knee injury, Ball and Hillman battled for the No. 1 job but both made too many mistakes to earn the trust of the coaches or Peyton Manning. And while all eyes were on them, Moreno — the Broncos biggest back at 220 pounds — quietly got healthy and brought fresh legs and experience to the equation. This season he became the first running back in team history to top 1,000 yards rushing and 500 receiving, and he scored a career-high 13 TDs. Morenos proficiency at catching the ball out of the backfield proved the best antidote for all the beatings Manning was taking at midseason, when opponents quit defending Denvers record-setting offence with zones in favour of more man coverage, which freed up another pass-rusher to go after the quarterback. Moreno is not only the Broncos best running back at picking up the blitz, but his sure hands keep linebackers busy in coverage or freeze them on play-action, which makes the Broncos, who scored an NFL-record 606 points, all the more dangerous. "He has just been a rock for us back there," said Manning, who praised Morenos uncanny ability to navigate through traffic while also challenging tacklers head on. Moreno has been a pleasant surprise to Manning, who knew what he had in targets Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Wes Welker and Julius Thomas but spent the off-season wondering what he would have with him in the backfield. "You never know coming off an injury, especially that running back position," Manning said. "Hes been a huge part of our offence this year." Morenos biggest game came at New England in November, when he rushed for 244 yards on 37 carries in a game the Broncos lost 34-31 in overtime. The rematch is Sunday when the Broncos (14-3) host the Patriots (13-4) in the AFC championship with the winner heading for the Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium, about an hours drive from Middletown, N.J., where Moreno grew up. Its one more opportunity hes determined not to let slip away. ' ' '