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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
PHOENIX (AP) – With Florida closer Antonio Alfonseca on the
mound, Jay Bell was expecting a fastball.
|  | | Jay Bell, right, is congratulted by Diamondback teammates after hitting a three-run home run in the eighth. |
That's what he got and what he jumped on, hitting the first
pitch for a three-run homer that capped a five-run rally in the
eighth inning as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Florida
Marlins 9-8 Tuesday night.
"He's got the other pitches, but any time he's out there,
you've got to think fastball," Bell said. "I just wanted to
shorten the swing and get the head of the bat on it and hope it had
enough speed to carry over the wall."
The Diamondbacks won for the sixth time in their last eight
games to reach .500 (10-10) for the first time since April 6.
Bret Prinz (1-0), pitching for the second time in his three days
in the majors, earned the victory. He gave up one hit in two
innings.
Arizona reliever Matt Mantei took over to start the ninth with a
9-7 lead. He gave up a solo home run to Cliff Floyd, got two outs
and then appeared to injure his right elbow.
Manager Bob Brenly said the preliminary diagnosis was a strained
triceps tendon. Although Mantei's immediate availability wasn't
know, Brenly was already thinking about Prinz in terms of replacing
the closer.
"He would seem to be the most logical candidate," Brenly said.
"He was saving games down in Tucson before we called him up, and
it's a role he's very familiar with."
Russ Springer relieved with a 3-1 count on Charles Johnson and
walked him. Springer retired Derrek Lee on a fly ball for his first
save.
The Marlins scored five times in the sixth for a 7-4 lead, but
lost because of wild pitching.
Florida reliever Dan Miceli opened the eighth by walking Mark
Grace and throwing a wild pitch. Miceli struck out Reggie Sanders,
but pinch-hitters Dave Dellucci and Erubiel Durazo followed with
singles, making it 7-5.
"Everybody would like to be out there full-time, but I have to
learn my role and stay ready," said Durazo, who is 6-for-8 with
six RBIs as a pinch-hitter this year.
Armando Almanza (0-1) relieved, walked Craig Counsell to load
the bases and threw a wild pitch that allowed another run to score.
With two outs, Alfonseca relieved to face Bell, who delivered
the decisive blow. It was Alfonseca's first blown save in four
tries.
"This was a very difficult one to swallow," Marlins manager
John Boles said. "To give up a three-run lead in the eighth
inning, it's difficult. We swung the bats well and scored a lot of
runs. We just couldn't stop them."
Pinch-hitter Kevin Millar had a three-run double for the
Marlins.
Johnson went 4-for-4, including a homer, and drove in two runs.
It was his fourth career four-hit game – matching one he had for
Baltimore against Anaheim on Sept. 17, 1999.
Miguel Batista made his first start for Arizona, becoming the
Diamondbacks' eighth starter in the first 20 games because of
injuries in the rotation.
Batista gave up three runs and six hits. He was pulled after
allowing a leadoff single to Floyd in the sixth.
"You feel good and you've got everything going your way, and
things slip away a little bit," Floyd said. "It happens in a
game. It happened to them early. That's why you've got to keep
battling. It's a long season, and hopefully we can battle through
the tough stuff."
Wilson hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning. Johnson made it
2-0 in the second when he hit a 417-foot drive onto a picnic
pavilion that sits atop the wall in left-center field.
Game notes
Tiger Woods watched from the tiered plaza of a restaurant
above the left-field bleachers, but vanished after he was picked up
by a TV camera in the fourth inning. ... Two Marlins right-handers
worked rehab assignments in the minors Tuesday night after going on
the DL March 31. Chuck Smith pitched for Triple-A Calgary, and A.J.
Burnett threw for Brevard County, Fla. Smith has an injured right
shoulder and Burnett has a stress fracture in his right foot. ...
Williams made his first start at shortstop since Aug. 21, 1991,
because regular SS Tony Womack was in North Carolina for his
father's funeral, and potential backups Danny Klassen and Counsell
were ailing. Counsell got into the game at shortstop in the sixth,
and Williams returned to his usual spot at third base. Williams had
two putouts and no assists at shortstop.
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OTHER GAMES
Baseball Scoreboard
Florida Clubhouse
Arizona Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 9
Minnesota 4
Anaheim 7
Cleveland 2
Baltimore 8
Detroit 3
Seattle 7
NY Yankees 5
Toronto 7
Texas 5
Tampa Bay 4
Kansas City 2
Oakland 6
Chi. White Sox 4
Houston 11
Atlanta 6
Milwaukee 6
NY Mets 4
St. Louis 7
Montreal 2
Colorado 14
Chicago Cubs 1
Arizona 9
Florida 8
Philadelphia 12
San Diego 7
Pittsburgh 5
Los Angeles 1
Cincinnati 9
San Francisco 5
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