D-backs Offense Explodes Late in 10-8 Comeback Win Over Marlins

Jordan Montgomery put his team in a big hole but Lourdes Gurriel Jr. came off the bench to deliver a big hit and the offense continued to tack on.

Aug 21, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; The Arizona Diamondbacks celebrate after defeating the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports / Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Diamondbacks were trailing the Marlins 6-4 in the top of the seventh inning with the bases loaded when Torey Lovullo made "the move." Sending Lourdes Gurriel Jr. up to pinch hit for the red-hot Adrian Del Castillo raised some eyebrows. With the rookie catcher's family and friends back in loanDepot park in Miami, Lovullo joked that he "almost got booed out of the arena."

But a lefty was on the mound, and the right-handed Gurriel has ben hot himself lately. The move paid off, as Gurriel tomahawked a high fastball for a bases-clearing double to deep center field to put the D-backs ahead 7-6. It was the key hit in an eventual 10-8 D-backs victory.

BRAND. 👏
NEW. 👏
BALLGAME. 👏 pic.twitter.com/xRnr5cZ6fx

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) August 22, 2024

Geraldo Perdomo hit a solo homer in the eighth, his second of the year to make it 8-6. The Marlins answered back with a run against Joe Mantiply in the bottom half of the inning to close that gap to 8-7.

But Arizona was not done tacking on. Jose Herrera hit an RBI triple and Gurriel knocked him home with another base hit.

With the lead back up to 10-7, Justin Martinez had to record a five-out save. He got the last two outs of the eighth for Mantiply and then came back out for the ninth. Martinez loaded the bases and gave up a run on a wild pitch, but recorded two strikeouts to record his fifth straight save. His ERA now stands at 1.89.

Speaking to Jody Jackson through interpreter Rolando Valles, Gurriel addressed the ability of the team to put forth a different hero each night. "Nobody knows who is going to contribute in these games. But the main factor is to stay focused pitch by pitch."

The down note was it was yet another very poor outing for starter Jordan Montgomery.

Montgomery's night got off to a bad start right out of the gate. Staked to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, he immediately coughed it up. After a leadoff single by Xavier Edwards, Montgomery left a 90 MPH sinker in the heart of the zone to the Marlins biggest home run threat, Jake Burger. The big first baseman deposited the cookie over the center field wall for an early 2-1 Marlins lead.

Montgomery seemed to settle down, retiring nine of the next 10 hitters. He was given a 3-2 lead thanks to a Jake McCarthy homer in the third inning, his 8th of the year. The D-backs knocked Marlins starter Roddery Munoz out in the fourth inning.

Number 8 of the year by Jake McCarthy puts #Backs back in front 3-2 in the third

pic.twitter.com/K3Lh0BUtEu

— Jack Sommers (@shoewizard59) August 21, 2024

Unfortunately the wheels fell off for Montgomery in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Marlins went single, sac bunt, RBI double, two-run homer, single, RBI triple. That procession of hard contact plated four runs for the Marlins.

The homer was hit by Cristian Pache, a .202 hitter without a homer this year in his first 140 plate appearances spread among three teams. But a middle of the zone changeup was something he could handle.

Montgomery muddled through five more outs before being lifted for Dylan Floro with two outs in the fifth without giving up any more runs. The only saving grace to the start was that Torey Lovullo didn't have to waste Ryne Nelson out of the bullpen. Nelson will start on Friday in Boston.

Montgomery's final line was 5.2 IP, 10 H. 6 ER. 1 BB, 4 K, 2 HR. With yet another blowup outing his ERA jumped to 6.44 in 19 starts. Floro, who recorded just one out, got the win. He's now 5-3 with a 2.67 ERA.

Box Score

The Diamondbacks' record improves to 72-56. San Diego finally lost a game today, so Arizona moves back into a tie with the Padres for the top NL Wild Card spot.

The team has an off day tomorrow before starting a three game series at Fenway Park in Boston against the Red Sox on Friday. Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly will follow Nelson on Saturday and Sunday.