Pavin Smith hit a two-run, go-ahead homer in the top of the ninth inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks survived the first-inning ejection of pitcher Madison Bumgarner to defeat the host Miami Marlins 8-7 on Wednesday afternoon.
Smith also made a stellar running catch that saved at least one run in the eighth inning. Ian Kennedy pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save of the year.
Arizona used a five-run fourth inning — which included Daulton Varsho’s two-run homer — to help sweep the three-game series. The Diamondbacks have now won seven of their past nine games.
Bumgarner, who allowed a solo homer to Jon Berti in his only inning of work, seemed upset with home plate umpire Ryan Wills’ balls and strikes calls.
After the inning, first base umpire Dan Bellino performed the random check of Bumgarner’s glove and pitching hand. While that appeared to uncover nothing illegal, words were exchanged and Bumgarner was tossed. An irate Bumgarner had to be held back from Bellino.
The Marlins were led by Berti, who homered twice, and Jesus Aguilar, who went deep once. All three were solo homers, but it wasn’t enough to avoid Miami’s fourth straight loss.
Miami led 3-0 after two innings.
Berti, Miami’s leadoff man, homered on a 2-0 cutter from Bumgarner.
Corbin Martin relieved Bumgarner in the second. Miami loaded the bases with no outs on a pair of walks and Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s single. Bryan De La Cruz hit a sacrifice fly and catcher Payton Henry’s first hit of the year — a single — made it 3-0.
Arizona’s fourth-inning rally started with Cooper Hummel’s one-out walk. After Ketel Marte doubled, Sergio Alcantara drilled a two-run triple. Geraldo Perdomo tied the score with an RBI single and Varsho’s two-out, 416-foot homer to right-center gave Arizona a 5-3 lead.
Miami scored twice in the seventh as Berti and Aguilar homered back-to-back off reliever Noe Ramirez on three pitches.
The Marlins took a 7-6 lead in the eighth as De La Cruz hit a two-out RBI single and Chisholm dove home when reliever Keynan Middleton bounced a wild pitch.
In the ninth, Varsho hit a one-out single off of closer Anthony Bender. The next batter was Smith, who drove a 2-2 slider over the fence in right.
–Field Level Media
