Rookie Corbin pitches Arizona past Miami
Patrick Corbin came in for Arizona yesterday evening and the left-handed rookie posted a superb MLB debut to help them past the Marlins.
Corbin escaped a bases-loaded jam in the opening inning and went 5 2/3 innings to win his major league debut by helping the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the slumping Miami Marlins 9-5.
“He did a great job for a young kid to come in that situation,” manager Kirk Gibson said. “He was very excited. The ball was elevated a little more than he wanted to early, but he kept his composure and made his pitches.”
The 22-year-old, who was called up from Double-A Mobile, struck out six and allowed just three runs. With 15 friends and relatives in attendance, mostly from his native New York, the left-hander said he was a bit nervous at the start but calmed down quickly.
“After the first pitch, I was ready to go and get after it,” he said. “It felt great being out there.”
Corbin loaded the bases with one out in the first, but Omar Infante bounced into a 1-2-3 double play.
“Definitely after that I took a big breath when I got in the dugout,” Corbin said.
One day after jumping ahead 8-0, the Diamondbacks were up 7-0 by the fifth inning. Cody Ransom and Justin Upton hit two-run homers, and Willie Bloomquist had a two-run double.
The Marlins lost for the eighth time in nine games and had fans booing for the second consecutive day.
Miami, expected to contend for a division title after an off-season spending spree, are 8-14 and last in the NL East as they begin a nine-game trip. Guillen criticized his players’ failure to change their approach at the plate or on the mound.
“If you cannot make an adjustment, I will make it for you,” he said. “I’m going to make a very drastic change. I don’t know which one yet, but I’m going to make an adjustment. I’m pretty good at that. That’s my job.”
Miami committed several errors, including one on a misplayed bunt that led to a five-run inning, and struggling closer Heath Bell gave up two runs in a non-save situation in the ninth.
After threatening in the first inning Marlins, the didn’t manage another hit off Corbin until the fifth.
“He kept it simple,” 40-year-old catcher Henry Blanco said of his young teammate. “He didn’t try to do too much, just tried to get ahead of the hitter. I think that’s all you can ask for in your first start.”
Corbin left in the sixth after he allowed a single by John Buck and a homer by pinch-hitter Donnie Murphy. Even so, Arizona’s starters have an ERA of 1.32 over the past four games.
Miami’s Austin Kearns hit a two-run homer in the seventh. J.J. Putz pitched a scoreless ninth, reducing his ERA to 4.70.
Arizona’s A.J. Pollock had a sacrifice fly and two hits to hike his average to .136 for the Diamondbacks, who climbed above .500 by winning three of four games in the series.
Odds to win MLB World Series 2012:
| Texas Rangers | +400 |
| New York Yankees | +700 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | +700 |
| Detroit Tigers | +900 |
| Atlanta Braves | +1400 |
| Boston Red Sox | +1400 |
| Los Angeles Angels | +1400 |
| St Louis Cardinals | +1400 |
| Tampa Bay Rays | +1400 |
| Washington Nationals | +1600 |
| San Francisco Giants | +2000 |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | +2200 |
| Cincinnati Reds | +2200 |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | +2200 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | +2200 |
| Miami Marlins | +2800 |
Odds from Intertops – $100 welcome bonus
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