D-backs' 4-run rally ends Fernandez's perfecto bid

June 12th, 2016

PHOENIX -- The D-backs could do nothing against Marlins ace Jose Fernandez on Saturday night. And then, everything quickly changed.
After Fernandez retired the game's first 17 batters, Arizona struck for four runs in the sixth inning and held on for a 5-3 win over Miami at Chase Field. It was the struggling D-backs' fourth win in their last 12 games.
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Michael Bourn ended Fernandez's perfect-game bid with a two-out home run. Jake Lamb hit an RBI double, Paul Goldschmidt knocked an RBI single, and David Peralta added an RBI triple to put Arizona ahead, 4-2.
"It's a huge win off a guy like that," Lamb said. "You saw the swings we were taking off Fernandez, he had his stuff today. We just battled. Bourny hits that home run, gets him a little uncomfortable out there, and we just strung together some hits."
Fernandez had won eight starts in a row, matching a Marlins franchise record. He took his first loss since April 23, allowing four earned runs in six innings on five hits with no walks and eight strikeouts. All five hits came consecutively with two outs in the sixth.
"That's the funny thing about baseball that anybody at any point can do damage," Fernandez said of Bourn's home run. "Even the pitcher, you have to be careful all of the time. Life is good. I can tell you that, life is good."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Unlikely long ball: Bourn started Arizona's four-run rally in the sixth with a two-out homer to right. It was the D-backs' first of five consecutive hits in a momentum-shifting rally. Bourn, who only has 32 homers in 11 seasons, hadn't gone deep since July 5, 2014, when he was with Cleveland.
"I'm never thinking about hitting a home run, I usually just run it to them," Bourn said. "It had been a while, I had a goose egg last year and I was like, 'Man, I ain't had a goose egg ever in my career and I had a goose egg.' But I was able to get one and it felt good." More >
Welcome back to the bigs: D-backs starter Zack Godley won in his first start in the Majors this season. The right-hander held the Marlins to two runs on four hits over six innings with three strikeouts and three walks. He retired the side in order in his final inning, keeping Arizona within striking distance before its sixth-inning rally.
"It's nice to be here in general, getting to come back up and pitch is always fun," Godley said. "I'm glad we could come out and get the victory."

Marlins strike first: Second baseman Derek Dietrich scored Miami's first run of the game in the first inning when he trotted home on a ground ball to Godley hit by left fielder Christian Yelich. Dietrich walked on four pitches to lead off the game and advanced to third base on a single by Martin Prado, the first of four hits in the game for Prado.
Miami's second run was much more dramatic. In the fourth, J.T. Realmuto smashed a solo home run off Godley, his third home run of the season, to extend the Marlins' lead to 2-0.

Ozuna on a roll: Center fielder Marcell Ozuna hit a solo home run in the eighth inning and has hit safely in 11 consecutive games on the road. What's more, the outfielder has a hit in 18 of his last 19 road games since April 30 and at least one hit in his last seven games against the D-backs.
"Streaks and stats and things like that are not something I worry about," Ozuna said. "I don't allow those things to get inside my head. I just concentrate on working hard and playing hard every day."

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D-backs closer Brad Ziegler extended his club record with his 40th straight save, the longest active streak in the Majors. He is now tied with Dennis Eckersley for the 10th-longest streak of all-time.

UNDER REVIEW
D-backs manager Chip Hale won a challenge with two outs in the top of the sixth. Realmuto hit a grounder to D-backs third baseman Lamb, who made a nice play deep in the hole before throwing to first. Initially, first-base umpire Angel Hernandez called Realmuto safe at first, but the call was overturned for the final out of the inning.

WHAT'S NEXT
Marlins:The Marlins will send Adam Conley to the mound in the series finale at 4:10 p.m. ET at Chase Field. The left-hander hasn't won since May 16 and sports a 4.43 ERA with 22 strikeouts and 12 walks in the four starts since the victory. Conley had given up just three homers in his first 58 innings before allowing two home runs in his last start.
D-backs:Robbie Ray takes the mound for the D-backs in the series finale at 1:10 p.m. MST at Chase Field. Ray has lasted six innings just once in his last nine starts -- May 16 against the Yankees, which is also his only win during that stretch. The left-hander has lost both of his career starts against Miami, posting a 5.40 ERA.
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