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 The series was the most impressive yet by the Marlins. The team with baseball's lowest payroll built its improbable NL East lead with the help of a weak early schedule, but there was nothing fluky about the way they swept NL West leader Arizona.
The 23-year-old Miller (4-3) had a career-high nine strikeouts, walked one and allowed only one runner to reach second base. Acquired in the trade that sent Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit, Miller had an ERA of 9.12 on May 1, but it's now down to 5.33, and he has won four of his past five decisions.
Logan Kensing and Justin Miller pitched one inning each to complete the seven-hitter.
The Diamondbacks arrived in Miami with the best record in the big leagues, but they totaled only 17 hits in the three games and were outscored 10-3. The shutout was the first against them this season.
The Marlins, last in the majors in fielding, committed no errors in the series and repeatedly came through with clutch hits. As a result, Miami may be coming down with playoff fever: The crowd of 13,233 was the largest this week.
Wes Helms drove in two runs with a pinch-hit double to knock out Dan Haren, and Jorge Cantu also drove in two runs. Haren (5-3) allowed eight hits and four runs in 6 1-3 innings.
The three Arizona pitchers Florida beat came into the series with a combined record of 19-3. On Wednesday, the Marlins became the first team this season to defeat Brandon Webb.
The sweep was the Marlins' fourth this year. Their most recent sweep against Arizona was a three-game set July 28-30, 2003.
The Diamondbacks lost their sixth road game in a row, and their three-game losing streak matches their longest this season.
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Florida's Hanley Ramirez, who slumped after dropping to third in the order three weeks ago, moved back to leadoff and started the first inning with a triple. He scored on a groundout by Cantu.
Matt Treanor singled with one out in the seventh, and Alfredo Amezaga followed with a single, his fifth consecutive hit. Helms batted for Andrew Miller and doubled for a 3-0 lead.
Helms hustled to third on a groundout, then scored on Cantu's two-out single.
The Marlins rank only eighth in the NL in ERA, but much of Arizona's lineup left town in a slump. Justin Upton went 0-for-11 in the series with eight strikeouts, and cleanup hitter Conor Jackson went 0-for-9.
Notes: Florida's Dan Uggla went 0-for-4, ending his 11-game hitting streak. ... Haren walked none and has allowed only 10 walks in 63 2-3 innings this season.
[Associated Press; By STEVEN WINE]
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