D-backs sweep Marlins on Pollock's clutch hit
MIAMI -- A.J. Pollock's two-out RBI infield single in the eighth inning proved to be the game-winner in Thursday's back-and-forth contest, as the D-backs defeated Miami, 7-6, at Marlins Park. Arizona swept the four-game series to send the Marlins to their seventh straight loss.
The D-backs took a 1-0 lead on Yasmany Tomas' first-inning run-scoring double off of Mat Latos. But the Marlins answered immediately with three first-inning runs on four hits, including RBI singles from Giancarlo Stanton and Justin Bour.
Video: ARI@MIA: Stanton laces a run-scoring single to left
Arizona got a run back in the second when Ender Inciarte notched a two-out RBI single, but Miami took a 4-2 fourth-inning lead when J.T. Realmuto hit a leadoff triple and scored on Adeiny Hechavarria's sacrifice fly.
Arizona regained the lead in the sixth when it scored four runs on three hits. Jordan Pacheco notched a sac fly and Cliff Pennington hit an RBI double off of Latos, while Steve Cishek surrendered a sac fly to Aaron Hill and an RBI single to Inciarte for a two-run D-backs lead.
The Marlins tied it in the sixth, though, on two-out RBI singles from Marcell Ozuna and Martin Prado. But the D-backs responded in the eighth with Pollock's clutch run-scoring infield hit. Brad Ziegler then worked a scoreless ninth to earn his first save of the season.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
D-backs produce in the clutch: Four of Arizona's seven runs came with two outs, including the go-ahead tally in the eighth. After Stanton threw out Pacheco trying to score on Inciarte's shallow fly to right with the bases loaded, Pollock drove Pennington in on a swinging bunt RBI single. Twice the D-backs capitalized on the Marlins' inability to field sacrifice bunts.
Video: ARI@MIA: Stanton secures fly ball, gets out at home
"I just think [ D-backs hitting coach] Turner [Ward] and [assistant hitting coach] Mark [Grace] had them thinking back up the middle, and we were doing that," manager Chip Hale said. "Latos had a good breaking ball today. ... We had to lay off that pitch in the dirt and get the ball up a little bit. We were able to do it. One thing we did today that we haven't done is we ran his pitch count pretty high, which is a big thing for us."
Latos' costly mistake: With no outs and runners on first and second in the top of the sixth, Chris Owings laid down a sacrifice bunt. Latos fielded it, but couldn't get the ball from his glove as he went to throw to third, which loaded the bases and led to four D-backs runs. Latos went 5 1/3 while allowing six earned runs on seven hits and seven strikeouts.
"I don't know what happened," Latos said. "It's like it got stuck -- like it was glued into my glove. I couldn't get it out." More >
Video: ARI@MIA: Pennington ties the game with an RBI double
Bradley limits trouble: In his second outing since being struck by a liner to the face, D-backs starter Archie Bradley gave up four runs on nine hits with two walks and four strikeouts over five innings. Over three of his final four frames, Bradley stranded a runner at third.
"It goes back to what I've said since Day 1," said Bradley. "The defense we put out there every day -- I know I just need to get ground balls. Pacheco did a good job of guiding me through it. Obviously, [I] didn't have my best stuff, but he made the right calls, and I just tried to throw it to where he set up and let the defense take care of the rest." More >
Bour caps big inning: With two strikes, Bour lined a two-out base hit into left field off Bradley to score Stanton and cap a three-run first inning for Miami. It was a needed outburst for a struggling Marlins offense, which -- with four first-inning hits -- equaled its total for Wednesday's entire game. More >
Video: ARI@MIA: Bour singles to left field to score Stanton
QUOTABLE
"We had just gotten beat three in a row in Philly. We were not swinging the bats well. We were having a hard time getting quality starts other than Chase [Anderson] in Philly. We're a young team. We're a team that every game is a new day. ... Bad momentum is the same thing as good momentum. I'm very proud of our team after coming in here from Philly. On the road, [the Marlins] have a new manager, there's some excitement for them, trying to get him his first win. We didn't let him get it." -- Hale
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The D-backs recorded their 10th four-game series sweep in franchise history and first since Sept. 15-18, 2008, against the Giants. The last time they did so on the road was April 5-7, 2007, at Washington.
GOLDY RESTS
Paul Goldschmidt didn't start for the first time this season. With two runners on and no outs in the eighth, Goldschmidt reached on a pinch-hit infield single when his comebacker hit off pitcher Sam Dyson's glove. More >
WHAT'S NEXT
D-backs: Josh Collmenter (3-5, 5.36 ERA) looks to snap his two-game losing skid as the D-backs return home to face the Cubs at 6:40 p.m. MST on Friday. Collmenter allowed four runs over six innings against the Phillies in his last start. Jon Lester (4-2, 3.70 ERA) toes the rubber for the Cubs, seeking his fifth straight win.
Marlins: Baltimore visits Miami for a three-game series beginning Friday at 7:10 p.m. ET at Marlins Park. Henderson Alvarez (0-3, 6.23 ERA) will try to earn his first win of the season in his second start since coming off the DL. Ubaldo Jimenez (3-3, 2.43 ERA) gets the call for the Orioles.
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