Nine seasons, one save
Sandy Alcantara walked out of the Miami bullpen in the ninth inning at Chase Field overnight and left with something he had never owned. A save. The Marlins held Arizona off 4-3, and a pitcher whose big-league career started in 2017 finally has one next to his name.
It was his first relief appearance since that rookie season. On Monday he started the series opener and gave up four runs in five innings. On Wednesday he got three outs that counted for more.
The inning was not clean. Alcantara walked Lars Nootbaar with two outs. Pinch runner Jordan Lawlar broke for second and was thrown out to end the game. Arizona appealed the call. It stood.
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Marsee decided the series
Jakob Marsee doubled and stole third in a two-run second that Heriberto Hernandez finished off with an infield single, a second run scoring when Nolan Arenado threw the ball away. In the third, Javier Sanoja singled and Marsee sent one 420 feet for a 4-1 lead.
That was the whole Miami offence, and it was enough. Hernandez collected four singles. Otto Lopez added two hits. Marsee went 5-for-10 with two homers and three RBIs across the three games, and the Marlins took two of them. They have won four of five.
Cade Gibson relieved starter Ryan Gusto in the fifth and threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings for the win. Three Miami relievers allowed one run over the last 4 2/3.
Arizona keeps slipping
The Diamondbacks hit three home runs and lost anyway. Pavin Smith went 424 feet in the second, Gabriel Moreno 384 in the fifth, Arenado in the eighth to cut it to one. Moreno went 3-for-4 and finished a triple short of the cycle. He has three homers in his past four games.
Merrill Kelly struck out a season-high nine and still took the loss, his record falling to 9-14 after seven hits and four runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Arizona sit 80-73, four of their last five now gone. They are 3 1/2 games behind San Diego for the third National League wild card, and every team ahead of them won on Wednesday. The Cubs hold the top spot at 85-68, half a game clear of Philadelphia. Ten games remain.
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