Bell's HR Knocks Out Marlins
Jay Bell wasted no time making up for his mistakes.
Bell atoned for his costly double error in the seventh inning by hitting a tiebreaking home run in the eighth Tuesday night that sent the Arizona Diamondbacks over the Florida Marlins 5-4.
"Fortunately baseball gives you a second chance to redeem yourself," Bell said.
Rookie Erubiel Durazo hit his fourth home run since being called up July 25 as the NL West-leading Diamondbacks won their fourth in a row.
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"It's a weird feeling. It's almost like playing against your little brothers," Mantei said.
The Marlins scored three times in the seventh to make it 4-all. Todd Dunwoody's RBI grounder with the bases loaded made it 4-2 and, with two outs, pinch-hitter Chris Klapinski followed with a routine grounder to Bell at second base.
Bell misplayed the ball for one error, then threw made a wild throw that allowed a second run to score on the play.
"He's human. Those things happen," Arizona manager Buck Showalter said. "Usually someone else picks him up, but tonight he picked himself up."
Said Bell: "There are no apologies in baseball. I didn't go out there and try to make two errors like Andy didn't go out there to load the bases."
With two outs in the eighth, Bell hit his 31st home run, connecting off reliever Armando Almanza (0-1).
"We should've stayed away from Bell in that situation," Mrlins manager John Boles said. "He's got 30 homers. Walk him."
After rain delayed the start of the game for 36 minutes, Andy Benes (9-11) went out and gave up four hits and two earned runs in seven innings.
Alex Fernandez gave up three runs in the first inning, two on Durazo's homer. Fernandez missed his last start to get a cortisone shot in his surgically repaired right shoulder, and made his first appearance since Aug. 11.
Fernandez allowed four runs and five hits in seven innings. He faced the minimum of 14 batters in his last 4 1-3 innings.
Tony Womack led off the game with a single and scored on Luis Gonzalez's double. Durazo hit his third homer in the past six games.
In the third, Womack singled, stole his 55th base and scored on two groundouts to make it 4-0.
Benes gave up a leadoff single in the first and didn't give up another hit until Preston Wilson's 21st homer in the fifth.
Notes
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