Marlins 5 - 2 Diamondbacks
Final
  for this game

Marlins stifle red-hot Diamondbacks

Jun 1, 2011 - 6:40 AM

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Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Anibal Sanchez pitched eight solid innings and knocked in two runs with his bat, as the Florida Marlins cooled off the Arizona Diamondbacks with a 5-2 victory in the second test of a three-game series.

Sanchez (5-1) gave up two runs -- a pair of solo homers -- and six hits to pick up his fifth straight winning decision and hasn't lost since April 10. He also struck out eight and walked one.

"He's mixing his pitches, going after the hitters. He's been very efficient. Lately, he's been going out there seven, eight, nine innings," Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez said of Sanchez.

Gaby Sanchez and Logan Morrison hit solo homers for the Marlins, who bounced back from a 15-4 loss in the opener of this series on Monday.

Kelly Johnson and Justin Upton hit solo home runs for the D-Backs, who saw a seven-game winning streak come to an end.

Ian Kennedy (6-2) allowed three runs on five hits over five innings to suffer his first loss since April 13. He also struck out four and walked three.

"I wasn't throwing strikes with anything," Kennedy said. "I beat myself, that's what I feel like."

Upton's two-out homer to left in the first inning gave Arizona an early lead.

The Marlins scored twice in the fourth. Greg Dobbs singled, Mike Stanton doubled and John Buck walked to load the bases with one out. Emilio Bonifacio then walked to force in a run and Anibal Sanchez helped his own cause with an RBI groundout to make it 2-1.

Morrison's solo shot to center in the fifth made it a 3-1 game.

Anibal Sanchez helped himself again in the sixth when, with a runner on third and one out, he grounded out to plate another run.

Meanwhile, he was cruising on the mound. The D-Backs' second hit of the game didn't come until the sixth, which pinch-hitter Sean Burroughs led off with a single. Arizona put men on first and second with two outs, but Stephen Drew grounded out.

Gaby Sanchez's solo homer to left in the seventh gave the Marlins a 5-1 lead.

Johnson's solo shot to right in the eighth cut the gap to three.

Leo Nunez tossed a perfect ninth for his 19th save of the season.

Game Notes

The clubs are meeting for the first time since splitting six matchups a season ago...Anibal Sanchez improved to 2-1 in four career outings versus Arizona...The D-Backs have still won 15 of their last 18 games...Florida played without shortstop Hanley Ramirez due to back pain...Morrison returned from the DL on May 13 and has reached base safely in all 17 games since his return. He has reached base safely in all 32 games this season.






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