MIAMI MARLINS NOTES:
MARLINS MINUTE
The Marlins today play the first of a three-game series at Chase Field as they continue a two-city, six-game road trip that started with three against the Cubs where Miami took one of three. After an off-day on Thursday, will begin a six-game homestand with three against the Reds from May 12-14 before hosting the Nationals from May 16-18.
YESTERDAY’S RECAP
Miami avoided a sweep yesterday with a 5-4 win over the Cubs in 14 innings, the longest game in MLB this season. The Marlins got on the board first courtesy of 1B Yuli Gurriel’s third home run of the year, and had their lead extended on an RBI single from DH Jorge Soler. RHP Sandy Alcantara dominated through 8.1 innings of shutout ball before surrendering 2 in the bottom of the ninth, sending the Marlins to extra innings. PH Joey Wendle and CF Jazz Chisholm Jr. drove in runs in the 10th and 13 innings, respectively, but Miami was unable hold the lead until the 14th as PR/DH Garrett Hampson scored on a balk. LHP Andrew Nardi recorded his first career save.
ONE-RUN WONDERS
The Marlins are now 11-0 in one-run games in 2023, marking the most consecutive wins in games decided by one run to start a season in franchise history. Are the only team yet to lose a one-run game this season.
• Marks the most consecutive wins in games decided by one-run in MLB history, matching a record set by the 1972 New York Mets (courtesy of Elias Sports Bureau).
• Miami played 64 games decided by one run in 2022, the most such games in the Majors last season. Miami’s 40 one-run losses were the most in a season in club history, the most since the 1975 Astros (41), and just three shy of the single-season record for one-run losses during the Live Ball Era (since 1920) held by the 1968 White Sox (44).
KEPT SWIMMING
Yesterday’s 14-inning contest marked Miami’s longest since Sept. 27, 2019 at Philadelpia (lost 3-4 in 15 innings), and was just the fifth MLB game to go 14 innings or more since the start of the 2020 season when the ghost-runner rule was introduced (15 innings – 2x, 16 innings – 2x).
• In franchise history, have only played 17 games longer than 14 innings.
GOOD FIRST IMPRESSIONS
2B Luis Arraez leads MLB with his .420 batting avg. (47×112) and .476 on-base pct., ranks 2nd with 46 hits, t-2nd with 13 multi-hit games, and 5th with his .994 OPS. Is currently riding a 10-game hitting-streak, the longest by a Marlin this season.
• Is coming off of the best April in club history, setting club history with his .438 avg. and .500 on-base pct. in 23 gms, becoming one of only two Marlins players to own a .400 avg. entering May (also, Dee Strange-Gordon, .409 in 2015).
• Trails Dee Strange-Gordon (54, 2015) for the most hits in club history by a Marlins player through their first 31 gms of a season.
• Became the first player to finish the month of April with a batting average of .435 or better and an OBP of .500 or better since Barry Bonds (.472 AVG and .696 OBP) in 1994 (min: 50 AB) – courtesy of Elias Sports Bureau. • Has struck out 8 times in 126 PA (.063 K/PA), the lowest mark in MLB among qualified batters.
SANDY STOPPER
Dating back to the start of the 2022 season, RHP Sandy Alcantara has posted a 2.61 ERA (96.2 IP/28 ER) in starts following at least 3 straight Marlins losses, with the team winning 10 of the 14 such starts.
• After going 8.1 innings yesterday at Chicago-NL, has now made 16 outings of at least 8.0 innings since the start of the 2022 season, more than double the amount of anyone else (Aaron Nola, 7).
CATCH US IF YOU CAN
The Marlins have stolen 29 bases this season, tied for seventh most in the Majors (tied for third in NL). Have been caught just seven times, tied for the sixth-best SB pct. in the NL (80.6%)
• Since the start of the 2020 season, the Marlins have combined to steal 165 bases on the road, the most of any team in MLB.
JAZZ HANDS
CF Jazz Chisholm Jr. has stolen 11 bases this season (in 13 attempts), leading the team and ranking 4th in the NL behind only Ronald Acuña Jr. (15), Ji Hwan Bae (14), and Nico Hoerner (12). HIs 11 steals in April tied the club record for most steals in the month of April (also, Luis Castillo, 1997).
GOOD COMPANY
3B Jean Segura knocked a single in the 5th inning yesterday at CHCfor his 1,500th career hit, becoming one of 20 active players to reach this plateau. Of these 20 players, Segura ranks 4th in stolen bases (207), 5th in triples (45), and has the second-lowest strikeout total, with 796 Ks in 1,360 career games.
• Tonight, returns to a place where he has had success in his career – led the National League in hits with 203 during the 2016 season, the one year he played for the Diamondbacks. Became the second player in D-Backs history to record 200+ hits in a single-season, and holds the record for the most hits in a single-season at Chase Field (107).
SIT ‘EM DOWN
After a career-high 12 strikeouts in 5.0 innings against the Cubs on Apr. 29, RHP Edward Cabrera struck out 8 Cubs in 5.0 innings on Friday. The combined 20 K’s in back-to-back starts that lasted 5.0 innings each are the most in a 10.0 inning span in his career.
• Last week, tied record set by LHP Jesus Luzardo with 12 strikeouts in a start that lasted no more than 5.0 innings. 20 strikeouts in two starts of 5.0 innings or less is also a club-most.
TODAY’S STARTER – #29 BRAXTON GARRETT
• Braxton Garrett, 25, will make his sixth start (seventh app.) of the season and second career start against the D-Backs tomorrow.
• His last outing against Arizona was on Apr. 15 at loanDepot park. Tossed 5.2 innings and allowed 1 run on 4 hits with 5 strikeouts.
• Allowed a career-high 11 runs on a career-high 14 hits in his last outing on May 3 vs. Atlanta. Surrendered 4 home runs.
• Made 17 starts at the Major League level in 2022 after entering the year as the Marlins No. 11 prospect. Went 3-7 with a 3.58 ERA (88.0 IP/35 ER) with 24 walks, 90 strikeouts, and 9 home runs allowed.
• Career average when facing RHB is .298 with .365 OBP and .856 OPS. When facing LHB is .245 with .323 OBP and .650 OPS. Has faced 167 LHB, has allowed only 2 HR.
• In 16 career starts (17 apps.) at home, owns a 4.24 ERA (80.2 IP/38 ER) and has gone 3-7 with 91 strikeouts. In 15 starts away (16 apps.), is 3-4 with a 4.54 ERA (75.1 IP/38 ER) and 61 strikeouts.
• Missed 23 games on the IL with a right oblique strain (8/17 to 9/12).
• Set a career-high in innings pitched with 7.1 on July 4, 2022 at Washington, allowing one run on four hits.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS NOTES:
HERE’S THE STORY
♦ The D-backs are 2-1 in their 10-game homestand vs. Nationals (2-1), Marlins (May 8-10) and Giants (May 11-14).
♦ The D-backs are currently second in the NL West, 1.5 games behind the Dodgers…Arizona has spent 23 total days this season in or tied for first place (since April 8).
♦ The D-backs have won 4 of their last 6 series.
♦ Zac Gallen has the longest active scoreless streak @ home in the Majors (20.1 IP) and is 1.0 inning shy of recording the D-backs’ longest scoreless streak @ home, which he set last season (21.0 IP; Aug. 8-Sept. 4, 2022).
Gallen is7-1 with a 0.46 ERA (3 ER in 58.2 IP), 72 strikeouts, 1 home run allowed and a 0.58 WHIP @ Chase Field since the 2022 All-Star break.
Is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA (2 ER in 13.0 IP) and 12 strikeouts in 2 career starts vs. Marlins and is facing Miami for the fi rst time @ Chase Field…he earned the win in his last start @ Marlins on April 16 (W; 0 ER in 6.2 IP).
♦ Corbin Carroll has a 12-game hitting streak (.421; 16-for38, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI), which is the second longest active streak in Majors, behind Masataka Yoshida/BOS (16)… it is tied for fifth longest hit streak in the Majors in 2023.
♦ Dominic Fletcher has hit safely in his first 6 Major League games (.429; 9-for-21, 2 2B, 2 RBI)… is tied for the second longest streak in D-backs history to start a career (last: Álex Cabrera in 2000)…record is David Peralta (7 games in 2014).
MIAMI MATCHUPS
♦ Arizona is 6-3 in its last 9 games vs. Marlins (5-1 in 2022, 1-2 this season).
♦ 5 of the last 9 games vs. Marlins have been decided by 1 run, including 4 straight in 2022 from May 2-9…Arizona is 4-1 in those games (4-0 in 2022, 0-1 in 2023).
♦ Yesterday, the Marlins tied the MLB record for most consecutive 1-run wins to open a season (also: 1972 Mets)…last season, Miami led the Majors in 1-run losses (40).
OFFENSE AMONG THE REST
♦ The D-backs rank in the Majors in strikeouts (2nd fewest, 254), sac fl ys (2nd, 14), triples (2nd, 9), average (3rd, .269), doubles (5th, 69), stolen bases (7th, 29) and hits (8th, 310).
OH, LOURDES!
♦ Yesterday, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. recorded his first career multi-home run game as a D-back and seventh of his career (last: Sept. 12, 2021 @ Orioles, with the Blue Jays).
♦ He also became just the fourth D-backs player to collect back-to-back game-tying home runs (9th inning Saturday night / 2nd inning on Sunday) and first D-back since Tony Clark in 2007 [source: Elias Sports Bureau].
WALK IT OUT
♦ Yesterday, the D-backs drew a season-high 11 walks and the most in a game since June 12, 2022 @ Phillies (11).
♦ Arizona has drawn 69 walks in its last 18 games compared to 28 walks in its first 16 games.
♦ The D-backs have walked 3+ times in 6 straight games and in 10 of their last 12 games.
SNAKE BITES
♦ Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is 8-for-11 (.727) with 4 homers, 9 runs, 6 RBI and 4 walks in his last 3 games.
♦ Christian Walker, in his last 8 games, is hitting .417 (15- for-36)/1.336 OPS with 2 doubles, 5 home runs, 10 runs and 11 RBI.
♦ Ketel Marte, in his last 7 games, is hitting .304 (7-for-23) with 1 triple, 3 homers, 9 RBI and 6 walks.
♦ Geraldo Perdomo’s .380 average ranks second in the Majors [min. 80 PA], behind Luis Arraez/MIA (.420 in 31 games)…is batting .380 (27-for-70)/1.061 OPS with 7 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs, 15 runs, 17 RBI and 11 walks in 27 games.
STARTING PITCHER – RHP ZAC GALLEN ♦ #23
AT A GLANCE: Is in his fourth full season with the D-backs.
• 2022 D-backs Most Valuable Pitcher by the Arizona Chapter of the BBWAA after going 12-4 with a 2.54 ERA.
• Finished fifth in the NL Cy Young Award voting, behind Sandy Alcantara (MIA), Max Fried (ATL), Julio Urías (LAD) and Aaron Nola (PHI).
• Acquired on July 31, 2019 from Marlins for INF Jazz Chisolm.
• Was the Cardinals’ third-round pick in the 2016 draft out of the University of North Carolina.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Is 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA (20.1 IP) and 34 strikeouts in 3 starts @ Chase Field this season…has only allowed 2 runs in his last 7 home starts (since. Aug. 8, 2022).
• Tallied the D-backs fourth-longest scoreless streak (28.0 IP) in franchise history from (April 4 [fi nal inning] – April 26)… established the D-backs’ all-time record for consecutive scoreless innings (44.1) from Aug. 8-Sept. 11, 2022.
• Reached 500.0 career innings in his last start.
• Whiff rates on his non-fastballs are all up more than 10 pct. points from last year: curve (34% to 47%), changeup (25% to 40%) and cutter (16% to 26%).
• Selected as the NL Player of the Week for April 10-16 after going 2-0 in 13.2 scoreless innings with 5 hits allowed, 1 walk and 18 strikeouts.
LAST START: Did not factor in the decision on May 2 @ Rangers (ND; 3 ER in 5.0 IP)…ended his 28.0-inning scoreless streak after surrendering a run in the first inning.
VS. MARLINS: Will be making his third career start and first @ Chase Field.
• Is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA (2 ER in 13.0 IP) in 2 career starts.
NL RANKINGS: Ranks among NL leaders in strikeout-to-walk ratio (1st, 11.40), starts (2nd, 7), strikeouts (2nd, 57), walks (2nd, 5), WHIP (2nd, 0.84), wins (3rd, 4), innings (5th, 42.2) and ERA (7th, 2.53).
10+ K COLUMN: His 8 total 10+-strikeout performances are sixth most in franchise history, trailing Randy Johnson (106), Curt Schilling (38), Robby Ray (23), Brandon Webb (12) and Patrick Corbin (10).
