The Miami Marlins continued their remarkable midseason surge, rallying with a five-run eighth inning to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4 on Sunday and complete a three-game sweep at Chase Field. The win marked Miami’s seventh straight victory, the team’s longest winning streak of the season.
Trailing 2-1 entering the eighth, the Marlins capitalized on Arizona’s pitching struggles. Left-hander Jalen Beeks (2-1), pitching for the second straight day, walked the bases loaded with two outs. Otto Lopez made him pay, lining a two-run single to left that brought home Liam Hicks and Dane Myers to give Miami a 3-2 lead.
After an intentional walk to Agustín Ramírez reloaded the bases, Kyle Stowers delivered the crushing blow — a bases-clearing double into the right-center gap that broke the game open at 6-2. It was Stowers’ second straight game with a clutch extra-base hit in a late rally.
Beeks was charged with five earned runs while recording just two outs, capping a rough weekend after giving up three runs and one out in Saturday’s 8-7 loss. In total, Arizona’s pitching staff issued 10 walks on Sunday, compounding their defensive woes.
The Diamondbacks did fight back. Ketel Marte, who gave Arizona a 2-1 lead with a solo homer in the third — his 17th of the season — helped fuel a late rally in the bottom of the eighth. Arizona cut the deficit to 6-4 and had runners on first and second with two outs, but Miami reliever Calvin Faucher struck out Jake McCarthy to end the threat.
Miami starter Cal Quantrill turned in a solid outing, allowing two runs on three hits over five innings with five strikeouts. Reliever Lake Bachar (4-0) picked up the win with two scoreless innings, and Ronny Henriquez earned his third save with a clean ninth.
Arizona starter Eduardo Rodríguez delivered another quality start, allowing just one run over 5 1/3 innings. The veteran left-hander posted a 1.98 ERA over 27 1/3 innings in June, but once again received little support from his bullpen, which entered Sunday with the third-worst ERA (5.22) in the majors.
The loss was the fourth straight for the Diamondbacks, who fell below .500 at 41-42.
With the Diamondbacks threatening to tie or retake the lead in the bottom of the eighth, Calvin Faucher’s strikeout of Jake McCarthy with two on and two outs preserved Miami’s 6-4 lead and helped seal the win.
Arizona’s bullpen walked seven of the Marlins’ 10 free passes on the day, continuing a trend that has haunted the team throughout the season.
The red-hot Marlins (37-45) head home for a three-game series against the AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins on Tuesday. Right-hander Joe Ryan (8-3, 2.86 ERA) is scheduled to start for Minnesota.
The Diamondbacks (41-42) look to rebound Monday as they continue their homestand against the San Francisco Giants. Ryne Nelson (4-2, 3.71 ERA) will take the mound opposite Logan Webb (7-5, 2.52 ERA).
