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 Marte, purchased from Triple-A Reno after Martin Prado was traded
Thursday afternoon, hit a tie-breaking, two-run home in the sixth
inning to help the Diamondbacks to a 7-4 victory over the Pittsburgh
Pirates at Chase Field. He arrived at the park about 20 minutes
after the game started.
"They told me to be ready, I might pinch-hit, so I went to the cage
and started getting loose," Marte said.
Marte's two-run homer off left-hander Jeff Locke (2-3) gave Arizona
a 5-3 lead, and Aaron Hill hit a solo homer to cap the three-run
inning. It was Marte's first major league at-bat since Oct. 3, 2010,
while with Cleveland, and his first homer since Sept. 8, 2010.
"It feels great to be back," said Marte, who spent parts of six
seasons in the majors with Atlanta and Cleveland. "I went to
Triple-A and worked hard, tried to prove I can still play here.
That's what I'm trying to."
Arizona manager Kirk Gibson saw Marte in the dugout when he arrived
in the second inning.
"I said 'Good to see you. Get ready to win a game,'" Gibson said.
Shortstop Nick Ahmed led off the sixth inning with a single before
Marte hit the second pitch he saw, a changeup. Marte, 30, was
leading the Pacific Coast League with a .330 batting average.
"When I went back out for the sixth inning I just felt fatigued and
just tried to make pitches," Locke said.
"Fighting myself a little bit, leaving the ball elevated and
elevating changeups. That is something I am not accustomed to doing
very often. When that ball starts getting up even I start asking
questions."
Third baseman Jordan Pacheco had two hits and an RBI in his first
start for Arizona (48-61), which won for the third time in four
games.
Second baseman Neil Walker had two hits, including his 16th homer,
and catcher Russell Martin had a two-run double for the Pirates
(57-51), who lost for the second time in five games.
Right fielder Gregory Polanco had two hits for Pittsburgh.
Ahmed had two hits, including his first major league home in the
eighth inning.
Arizona left-hander Oliver Perez (2-1) got the final two outs in the
sixth inning for the victory, and closer Addison Reed pitched the
ninth inning for 27th save.
"We had a couple of chances early but never busted it," Pittsburgh
manager Clint Hurdle said.
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Walker singled to left field to open the second inning and went to second
base when first baseman Ike Davis walked before Martin doubled off the
base of the fence in left-center field for a 2-0 lead.
Arizona tied it with two unearned runs in the fourth inning. Left
fielder Mark Trumbo had an infield single and Pacheco doubled into the
left field corner to put runners on second and third.
After right fielder David Peralta was hit by a pitch and popped out,
Davis failed to handle a throw from third baseman Pedro Alvarez on a
grounder by Arizona starter Josh Collmenter that should have ended the
inning. Two runs scored.
"That is a ball that is catchable," Hurdle said. "He has caught that one
before. He didn't catch that one today. Nobody felt worse about it then
he did."
Pacheco singled in first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to make it 3-2 in the
fifth inning.
Walker's solo homer off Collmenter with one out in the sixth inning tied
it at 3.
NOTES: 3B Andy Marte, a non-roster invitee to spring training this year,
spent most of 2013 in an independent league after sitting out 2012. He
had 13 home runs and 62 RBIs at Reno. ... Arizona ecalled OF Roger
Kieschnick from Triple-A Reno to fill the roster spot left RF Gerardo
Parra was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. The D-backs received three
minor leagues in the two deals -- C Peter O'Brien from the Yankees and
OF Mitch Haniger and LHP Anthony Banda from Milwaukee. O'Brien has 33
homers, third behind Texas prospect 3B Joey Gallo (37) and Cubs prospect
3B Kris Bryant (34). .. Since June 1, Pittsburgh (32-21) has the best
record in the National League. ... The game featured a match of 1-2
finishers in the 2013 NL MVP race, Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen and
Arizona 1B Paul Goldschmidt. McCutchen received 30 of the 32 first-place
votes.
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