Recap: Arizona vs. Florida
Sports Network | August 24, 2008
Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Josh Willingham went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI to help the Florida Marlins to a 5-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the finale of a three-game set.
Paul Lo Duca and Hanley Ramirez each drove in a run for the Marlins, who took two of three in the set. Ricky Nolasco (13-7) won his second straight start after he gave up just two runs on three hits with a walk and 10 strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings. He also knocked in a run. In his last start on August 19, Nolasco threw a two-hit shutout in San Francisco.
Stephen Drew hit a solo home run and scored twice while Conor Jackson drove in the other run for the Diamondbacks, who had won four of five coming into the game. Doug Davis (5-8) was handed the loss as he gave up three runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts in seven innings of work.
Arizona saw its first-place lead over Los Angeles in the NL West drop to just 2 1/2 games. Los Angeles plays Philadelphia later on Sunday.
The Marlins grabbed the lead in the first as Alfredo Amezaga hit a one-out double, moved to third on Jorge Cantu's ground out and crossed the plate when Willingham reached base on an infield single.
Arizona, though, got the run right back as Drew led off the bottom of the first with a home run over the right-center field wall.
Florida again took the lead in the second as Luis Gonzalez smacked a one-out double and later scored when Nolasco helped his cause with a double for a 2-1 advantage.
The Marlins extended their lead in the sixth as Willingham led off the inning by ripping an 0-2 fastball over the left field wall for a 3-1 lead.
Nolasco retired the Diamondbacks in order from the second through the fifth innings, but gave up a run in the sixth as Drew led off with a double, moved to third on Chris Young's groundout and crossed the plate on a groundout from Jackson to make it a 3-2 game.
Nolasco worked a perfect seventh and got the first out of the eighth before handing the ball to Arthur Rhodes, who retired the next two batters.
Florida padded its lead in the ninth with a couple of two-out runs. Jeremy Hermida belted a ground-rule double that hopped over the wall in right and moved to third on Matt Treanor's ground out. Lo Duca then delivered a pinch- hit double to bring home Hermida and Ramirez followed with a double to bring home Lo Duca for a 5-2 lead.
Kevin Gregg worked the ninth to pick up his 29th save of the season.
Nolasco is 3-1 in five starts in August and has 43 strikeouts...Drew's homer was his 15th of the season...Florida took seven of nine games against Arizona this season...Florida starts a three-game set in Atlanta on Tuesday...Arizona hits the road for a three-game set in San Diego starting on Monday.
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