Diamondbacks Hook Marlins, 1-0
MIAMI (AP) - Brandon McCarthy pitched a three-hitter for his first win since being struck in the head by a line drive last season, helping the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Miami Marlins 1-0 on Saturday night.
Gerardo Parra led off the game with a home run for Arizona, which has won four in a row while dealing the Marlins a season-long seven-game losing streak.
McCarthy (1-3) struck out five and walked two while throwing 68 of 99 pitches for strikes in his third career shutout, first since Sept. 3, 2011, against Seattle.
McCarthy was hit in the head by an Erick Aybar line drive on Sept 5. 2012, against the Angels while with Oakland. He suffered a skull fracture and underwent surgery to end his season.
He signed a two-year deal with Arizona in December and went without a win in his first eight starts with his new club.
Last Sunday, McCarthy was pulled after eight scoreless innings and 88 pitches, and Arizona's relievers blew a late lead during a 4-2 loss in 10 innings to the Philadelphia Phillies.
Parra's home run to right-center field came on the first pitch from Tom Koehler (0-2) on Saturday. It was Parra's third career leadoff home run.
Miami had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the first on Chris Coghlan's single to right, but Parra threw out Derek Dietrich at the plate to end the inning.
McCarthy retired the next 14 batters he faced until Adeiny Hechavarria singled in the sixth. Hechavarria advanced to second on a passed ball, but McCarthy struck out Dietrich to end the inning.
The Marlins had another scoring opportunity in the seventh after a balk by McCarthy advanced Marcell Ozuna to second, but Placido Polanco lined out to end the threat.
McCarthy retired the final nine batters.
Koehler, making his third career start, limited the Diamondbacks to one run and three hits over six innings. He struck out seven and walked two.
Ryan Webb pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings in relief to extend his scoreless streak to 16 2-3 innings for Miami.
(© Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)