PHOENIX — Elieser Hernandez appeared to have settled into the game.
The Miami Marlins’ starting pitcher has gone through his share of struggles to start the season. It was more of the same to begin his time on the mound Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, giving up three runs 10 batters into the game.
But then he retired 12 of the next 13 batters he faced and seemed to be in a groove until the final batter he faced on the night.
He left a sinker over the heart of the plate. Ketel Marte didn’t miss, sending it a projected 438 feet to right-center field for a go-ahead home run as Arizona downed the Marlins 4-3 at Chase Field to begin a three-game series.
Miami is 13-16 on the season, while the Diamondbacks improve to 16-14.
The Marlins have now lost eight of their past nine games, with the past seven losses being decided by one run.
Hernandez allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits and one walk while striking out five over 5 1/3 innings. It marks just the second time through six starts this season that Hernandez, who has a 6.37 ERA, has pitched into the sixth inning.
Four of the first five batters Hernandez faced reached base — Daulton Varsho doubled, David Peralta walked, Christian Walker drove in Varsho with a double and Josh Rojas scored Peralta with a bunt single — and then gave up a third run early in the second on a Varsho RBI single.
Hernandez found his rhythm from there, allowing just one base runner from that point until the end of the fifth inning.
But the Marte home run in the sixth — the eighth long ball Hernandez has surrendered this season (tied for second in MLB) — put Miami behind for good.
The Marlins scored runs on a Jacob Stallings two-run single in the second and a Garrett Cooper home run in the fourth.
____
