Josh Beckett’s two-hit, 11-strikeout masterpiece keeps Florida alive.

MIAMI (AP) – With the Florida Marlins on the verge of elimination from the NL championship series, team chaplain Chris Lane led a service for the players before Sunday’s game against the Chicago Cubs.

“It was a little more motivational than usual,” Lane said. “And we had a lot more people there.”

Several hours later, Mike Lowell answered the Marlins’ prayers with a two-run homer, which was all the support dominating right-hander Josh Beckett needed. Jeff Conine and postseason hero Ivan Rodriguez also homered for a 4-0 victory, which delayed for at least two days the Cubs’ return to the World Series after a 58-year absence.

Florida still trails the series 3-2 and must get past Mark Prior and Kerry Wood at Wrigley Field to overtake the Cubs. Carl Pavavo, who went 12-13 in the regular season and has been in the bullpen during the playoffs, will make his first start in 21/2 weeks in Game 6.

“We’ve got our hands full the next two games,” Lowell said. “We’re going to see if we can score a few more runs than they do.”

At least the Marlins averted a Chicago sweep of the three games at Pro Player Stadium, playing again the way they did while achieving baseball’s best record over the final four months of the regular season.

Lowell was a big part of that success, leading Florida with 32 home runs and 105 RBIs. But the All-Star third baseman missed virtually all of September with a broken left hand, and when healthy again he found himself unable to dislodge rookie Miguel Cabrera from the lineup.

Manager Jack McKeon got Lowell back in the batting order Saturday by moving Cabrera to right field, a change that might continue next season.

“I just came in today and looked at the lineup card and was in there,” Lowell said. “I’m glad Jack showed the faith in me, especially since Saturday I don’t think I had very solid at-bats. He has been doing a lot of things right. I know he goes to church a lot. Maybe he sent a blessing my way to have a good day today.”

In the fourth inning, Lowell hit his first single since August. Then came a bigger blow in the fifth. Cabrera walked, and with two outs Lowell pulled a pitch from Carlos Zambrano over the scoreboard.

It was Lowell’s biggest homer since … well, since Tuesday. Pinch-hitting for the first time this year, he homered in the 11th inning to help Florida beat Chicago 9-8 in Game 1.

That was his lone hit in 11 postseason at-bats until Sunday.

“This is the perfect time to get Mike back in there and see if he doesn’t add a little juice to our lineup,” McKeon said. “Psychologically the guy carried us … until he got hurt, really.”

Chicago scored 33 runs in the first four games of the series, but a two-run lead proved to be plenty for Beckett, who threw a two-hitter for the first complete game of his career.

To be safe, the Marlins gave their young right-hander a little more of a cushion. Rodriguez hit a solo homer in the seventh, and like Lowell, his heroics were nothing new. He has at least one hit in each of the Marlins’ nine playoff games, and his postseason average is .351 with 14 RBIs.

“I’m just trying to put the ball in play and hit it hard,” Rodriguez said. “I’m seeing the ball good right now, and I’m looking forward to continuing to do it.”

Conine added the first postseason homer of his career in the eighth.

Rodriguez’s biggest contribution might have been to defuse a confrontation in the fourth inning when Beckett angered Sammy Sosa by throwing a fastball that sailed toward the slugger’s head. Sosa went to his knees ducking out of the way, then rose, took a step toward the mound and pointed his bat at Beckett.

Eager to avoid a repeat of Saturday’s melee in the ALCS, Rodriguez stepped in front of Sosa and managed to calm him down.

“Sammy and I have a good relationship,” Rodriguez said. “We didn’t try to hit him. The ball got away from Josh.”

Six pitches later, Sosa was called out on strikes when he took an 88 mph changeup.

That’s as much trouble as Beckett encountered. When Sosa grounded out to end the game, Rodriguez gave Beckett a hug, then was the first to shake hands with Lowell.

The happy Marlins headed for the clubhouse, where just outside the door, their bags were already packed for the trip back to Chicago.

AP-ES-10-12-03 2038EDT