After a five-run first inning, the Arizona Diamondbacks were shut down for nine more, as the Miami Marlins clawed their way back into the game before taking the lead in the top of the 10th. The Marlins' 6-5 win was their second straight over the D-backs as the two teams head into a day-night doubleheader today.
The loss pushed the D-backs to six games behind first-place San Francisco Giants in the National League West with 39 games to play. Arizona is five games out of the second NL wild card spot, with two teams (the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals) ahead of them.
To open the bottom of the first inning, the first six D-backs hitters reached base safely. Chris Young led off with a walk, Aaron Hill doubled him home, Jason Kubel singled, Paul Goldschmidt walked, Justin Upton singled home Hill and Kubel, and Miguel Montero hit an RBI single. The first out came when Ryan Wheeler hit a sacrifice fly RBI. Amid all the action, Upton strained a hamstring and was taken out of the game. He is day-to-day.
"We should have won that game," manager Kirk Gibson said after the game.
But starting pitcher Trevor Cahill couldn't make the five-run lead stand up. He pitched 5.1 innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and a walk. Matt Albers came in to relieve Cahill in the sixth and gave up the tying run. In the 10th, Sam Demel put men on first and third base when Giancarlo Stanton drove home the go-ahead run.
Aaron Hill went 3-for-4 with an RBI, a run scored, and a stolen base for the D-backs.
First pitch this afternoon is 12:40 p.m. and heralded prospect Tyler Skaggs will make his major-league debut when he faces Jacob Turner (1-1, 8.03 ERA). In the night game, fellow rookie Wade Miley (13-8, 2.96) faces Wade LeBlanc (5-5, 2.50). That game will start at 6:40 p.m. Both games are Fox Sports Arizona and KTAR 620 AM. More info: www.dbacks.com.
