LDN - Sports

Ray controls Marlins in D-backs' win

[June 13, 2016] PHOENIX -- Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Robbie Ray made the best start of his young career Sunday, one deep breath at a time.

Pitching coach Mike Butcher worked with Ray on tempo in his last side session, and a more controlled Ray controlled the Miami Marlins in the Diamondbacks' 6-0 victory at Chase Field, giving up three singles and one walk in 7 2-3 innings.

"It is something that slows me down," said Ray, who inhaled deeply before virtually every one of his career-high 117 deliveries.

"I think I kind of over-exaggerated it today, just trying to calm myself down and it worked. So I'll keep doing it. I felt like I accomplished what I was trying to do. Getting early outs. Down in the zone."

Rookie Peter O'Brien hit a three-run homer into the second deck down the left field line to cap a four-run first inning, and the Diamondbacks had 12 hits, including two by Ray.

O'Brien's homer, his first, came in his second start after being recalled Friday from Triple-A Reno, where he was hitting .330 and led all the affiliated minor leaguers with 17 homers and 142 total bases.

Ray (3-5) struck out six and faced two batters over the minimum while getting to only five three-ball counts. Two of the hits were erased by double plays. He struck out the final two batters he faced, the last on a 95 mph fastball on pitch No. 117.

"Good tempo," Arizona manager Chip Hale said. "Kind of collected himself at times. Wasn't rushing. I think they had a really good side with him in between, figured some stuff out.

"Fastball is electric. He's a guy who is going to be a high pitch-count guy. He has a great arm. We never want to abuse him, but he does not get tired. His stuff does not tick off. As long as he's getting guys out, he's going to be able to pitch."

Paul Goldschmidt, Jean Segura and Welington Castillo had two hits apiece for Arizona, and Goldschmidt and Segura scored twice.

Goldschmidt has reached base in 17 consecutive games and his hitting .393 with three homers and 13 RBIs in that span. His batting average is up to .284, the highest it has been since the first week of the season.

Arizona (28-37) won its third in the past five games and won its third home series in 11 this season. The Diamondbacks 12-23 at home.

Martin Prado, who had one of the Marlins' three singles, leads the major leagues with a .412 batting average on the road.

The Marlins (32-31) have lost four of their last six.

"He (Ray) had good stuff," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "He is guy that his command was kind of an issue in the past, but he made us swing the bats today. They kind of punched us early in the first inning and we never really got off the mat.

"It kind of knocked us out right there."

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Diamondbacks left fielder Peter O'Brien (14) hits a 3 run home run in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Segura singled to open the first inning off Adam Conley (3-4), and Goldschmidt reached on catcher's interference with one out before Castillo walked to load the bases.

David Peralta followed with a popup to short right-center field, and he was credited with a sacrifice fly when Segura was able to tag and score as second baseman Derek Dietrich made a backhanded catch and could not get enough on the throw.

O'Brien hit a 92 mph fastball that was inside, maybe even off the plate, for his second major league homer. He hit one off Dallas Keuchel in a September call-up last year.

"Just trying to a pitch I could put a good swing on," O'Brien said.

Conley gave up 11 hits and six runs (five earned) in five innings. He struck out two and walked one.

"I think it is a ball if he took it, down and in," Conley said. "When I throw the ball down there guys don't usually do that."

NOTES: The Diamondbacks and Marlins observed a moment of silence before the game in respect for those slain in the Orlando nightclub gun violence early Sunday morning. ... Arizona RHP Zack Greinke on Monday will face the Los Angeles Dodgers for the first team since signing a six-year, $206.5 million free agent deal with the Diamondbacks in the offseason. Greinke is 5-0 with a 1.95 ERA in his last five starts and is 2-0 in four career starts against the Dodgers. ... Marlins OF Ichiro Suzuki walked as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning and remained at 4,252 career hits, four short of Pete Rose's major league record. Suzuki has 2,974 hits in 14-plus seasons in the U.S. ... Miami was 9-3 against left-handed starters this season, the best winning percentage in the majors. The Cubs are 13-5. ... Arizona LHP Patrick Corbin leads major league pitchers with 11 hits. He has two doubles and three RBIs in 32 at-bats. Ray has six hits, four in his last two starts.

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