Ichiro pinch-hits, plates Marlins' go-ahead runs

May 3rd, 2016

MIAMI -- The Marlins brought some of their road-trip magic home with them on Tuesday, as they rallied from three down to claim a 7-4 win over the D-backs at Marlins Park. Marcell Ozuna and Christian Yelich each belted home runs, and Ichiro Suzuki's pinch-hit, two-run single gave them the lead in the sixth inning.
Coming off a 7-3 road trip, the Marlins used a four-run sixth inning to swing momentum in their favor. Ozuna's two-run blast to left off Patrick Corbin got the frame rolling, and Ichiro's two-run single off Jake Barrett put Miami ahead by a run.
"Ichiro does what he does," said D-backs manager Chip Hale. "It's a tough one, because the guys busted their tails."
Marlins lefty Justin Nicolino, making his second start after being called up from Triple-A New Orleans, collected the win despite giving up four runs on seven hits with three walks and no strikeouts. The D-backs scored twice in the second to take the early lead, and Welington Castillo's two-run, opposite-field big blast in the sixth inning made it 4-1.
"These guys, we've talked about it all spring long, they've been a club that believes in themselves," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "They keep playing, and I think it shows. If we can go up and down in the order, we're capable of scoring in a couple of different ways. I think you've got to give the guys a lot of credit to continue to fight and continue to play."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Effort squandered: After surviving a 10-pitch at-bat to J.T. Realmuto, coaxing the Marlins' leadoff hitter to fly out, Corbin then fell behind to Martin Prado, 3-0, only to battle back and get an inning-ending strikeout, stranding Miguel Rojas at third base in the fifth with the potential tying run while preserving the D-backs' 2-1 lead. But the bullpen squandered the lead and Corbin (1-3) was left with a no-decision.
"Patrick did great," Hale said. "It just seemed like he tired out a little bit, and we had our bullpen ready." More >
Long ball lifts Marlins: Clearing the fences has been a challenge for the Marlins at home. In their first nine games, they connected just six times. But on Tuesday, home runs from Ozuna and Yelich provided big lifts in the comeback. Ozuna went deep off Corbin with a two-run shot in the four-run sixth inning, and off Tyler Clippard, Yelich provided an insurance run in the seventh.

"Giancarlo [Stanton] got going last week, putting the homers up quick," Mattingly said. "But we've got some guys that are capable. We're not really a huge home run club, but we're capable of hitting some." More >

Bullpen collapse: Coming into the game, the D-backs' bullpen had gone 15 1/3 scoreless innings on the road, dating back to April 18 at San Francisco. However, it collapsed in the sixth inning when Andrew Chafin walked two batters, throwing eight consecutive balls, and Barrett followed by hitting a batter and then giving up the lead on a two-run single to pinch-hitter Ichiro, completing a four-run inning that put the Marlins ahead, 5-4.
"When you walk guys, hit guys, you're just putting danger out there on the bases," Hale said. "Giving them the free passes, we put ourselves in a lot of trouble. More >
Realmuto accomplishes Marlins first: Realmuto made team history when he doubled to open the first inning. It marked the first time Marlins' history that a catcher led off a game. Realmuto isn't your typical catcher. He's highly athletic, and he runs well. The double was a scorched liner to left, running Realmuto's hitting streak to eight games. He ended up scoring on Yelich's fielder's choice grounder.
Realmuto says it's the first time he's ever led off as a professional.
"For me, nothing is really going to change," Realmuto said. "Obviously, there's certain places, after a pitcher makes a quick out or we have a long inning, I'm going to have to see some pitches. But for the most part, I'm going to take my same approach up there and try to get on base as much as I can."
QUOTABLE
"I dislocated my finger, my [left] pinkie, sliding into second. I popped it back in. I guess we're going to see where I am tomorrow." -- Marlins first baseman Justin Bour, who walked in the eighth inning and injured his finger sliding into second base More >
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Paul Goldschmidt walked with one out in the fifth inning, and it marked the 28th time the D-backs' first baseman has drawn a free pass, which is the most in the Majors.
INSTANT REPLAY
The D-backs lost a sixth-inning challenge when Barrett hit Derek Dietrich with an 0-2 pitch to load the bases. The review took 1 minute, 36 seconds to confirm that Dietrich was indeed hit by the pitch. Ichiro followed with a two-run single to complete a four-run inning that gave the Marlins a 5-4 lead.

"It hit the guy's wrist, I guess," said Hale. "It was hard to tell on the replay. But they confirmed it, so they must have had a better view in New York."
WHAT'S NEXT
D-backs:Rubby De La Rosa takes the mound for the D-backs on Wednesday at 4:10 p.m. MT in the middle game of a three-game series with the Marlins. It will be just his second career start at Marlins Park. He got a no-decision last year in his only Major League appearance in Miami.
Marlins:Jose Fernandez, 18-1 with a 1.61 ERA in his career at Marlins Park, takes the mound on Wednesday at 7:10 p.m. ET in the second of three games. Fernandez is 2-2 with a 4.08 ERA in five starts this year.
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