Stanton Gets Two Home Runs, Push Marlins Past Diamondbacks
PHOENIX (AP) - The Miami Marlins managed three hits off the Arizona Diamondbacks. Two of them were booming home runs off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton.
That was the difference in the Marlins' 3-2 victory on Monday night, the Diamondbacks' fourth loss in a row.
Patrick Corbin, trying to become the first left-handed starter in 35 years to go 10-0, allowed two hits through eight innings but gave up a soaring, two-run homer to left by Stanton that tied the game at 2 in the sixth.
Stanton's line-drive home run to right off ex-Marlin Heath Bell (2-1) in the ninth put Miami ahead for the first time. It was the 100th homer of his career, and sixth in 43 at-bats at Chase Field.
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"He took that thing over, didn't he?" Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. "Yeah, that was an impressive, impressive night for him."
Stanton, activated June 10 after six weeks on the disabled list with a right hamstring strain, said both were good pitches.
"Just help the team win, man," Stanton said. "That's what I didn't do all April and obviously all May I wasn't playing."
Redmond said he expected an adjustment period for Stanton when he came off the DL.
"And there really wasn't," the manager said. "He came off the DL swinging the bat great. You could just see he was more confident. His swing was better, everything was better. He's been lights out ever since."
Bell pitched all of last season for Miami, and Stanton was asked if his familiarity with the reliever's pattern helped him in the at bat.
"Yeah," Stanton said, "for the most part."
Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said it's time to reassess how to pitch to Stanton.
"The guy is swinging the bat good. We have to find a better way to get around him," Gibson said. "You can see how strong he is. He just barreled it."
Mike Dunn (2-1) threw a scoreless eighth inning to get the win.
Steve Cishek pitched a perfect ninth for his 10th save in 12 tries. Willie Bloomquist flied out to deep center to end the game.
Paul Goldschmidt drove in both Arizona runs with a homer and a single.
Corbin, with no decisions in his last three starts, was trying to become the first left-handed starter to begin the season 10-0 since Ron Guidry went 13-0 for the New York Yankees in 1978, according to STATS. Corbin struck out seven and walked one but the Diamondbacks lost for the first time in his 14 starts.
Gibson said Corbin deserved better.
"Patrick was great," Gibson said. "He pitched his heart out, two runs. We scored eight runs in four games. ... We should have had several runs tonight. We are in a bad spot at the plate right now. Guys are trying to do too much. `'
Arizona was 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position.
"More of the same," Gibson said.
Goldschmidt, hitless in his previous 12 at-bats and just 3 for 33, lined Jacob Turner's 1-0 pitch over the right-field fence to put Arizona up 1-0 in the third, his 16th home run. The Diamondbacks made it 2-0 in the fifth when Gerardo Parra singled, stole second and scored when Goldschmidt singled sharply to center.
Goldschmidt leads the NL with 61 RBIs.
Corbin, meanwhile, was cruising through five. Only two Miami batters reached during that span, Stanton on third baseman Martin Prado's two-out error in the first and a two-out walk to Marcell Ozuna in the fourth.
In the sixth, pinch-hitter Justin Ruggiano grounded out, but Juan Pierre's opposite-field single to left ended the no-hit bid. Ed Lucas popped out but Stanton hit a high drive on Corbin's 2-0 pitch into the second deck above the Arizona bullpen in left and it was tied at 2.
The Diamondbacks, swept in three games at San Diego last weekend, opened a six-game homestand.
Turner allowed two runs and six hits in five innings.
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