Marlins Error, Diamondbacks Win

Mike Piazza says he's determined to treat his time in Florida as a positive experience. But if the Marlins' performance Wednesday night is any indication, his good nature could be sorely tested.

Fielding errors. Baserunning mistakes. A bases-loaded walk. Walking the opposing pitcher -- twice.

And the crushing blow: A grand slam by Arizona's Matt Williams, capping a fifth inning in which the Diamondbacks scored six unearned runs on the way to a 7-3 victory.

"It's tough. These guys are going to struggle a little bit," Piazza said after making his home debut as a Marlin. "We just weren't able to shut them down tonight."

Piazza, given the night's biggest ovation by the crowd of 17,560, singled in four at-bats. Todd Zeile, also acquired from Los Angeles in last week's seven-player deal, doubled, walked twice and scored a run.

"I really felt well-received," Piazza said. "I'm happy that people came out tonight and made it feel positive. Unfortunately, it was a real tough game."

Arizona's Omar Daal (1-2), making his third start, scattered seven hits over 5 2/3 innings before leaving with two outs and the bases loaded in the sixth. Clint Sodowsky hit Derrek Lee with his first pitch to force in a run, then got Cliff Floyd to foul out to end the threat.

Felix Rodriguez started the ninth for Arizona and gave up a walk and one-out single before Gregg Olson got the last two outs for his second save. The Diamondbacks have won five of their last six after snapping an eight-game losing streak.

"We need to keep doing this," Olson said. "We need to start winning some series and putting wins together."

Andy Larkin (2-4) limited Arizona to three hits and held a 2-1 lead before his defense failed him in the fifth. Kelly Stinnett doubled and scored when center fielder John Cangelosi misplayed Brent Brede's single, tying the game.

Daal, trying to bunt Brede to third, wound up drawing a walk and the bases were loaded one out later when shortstop Edgar Renteria bobbled Jay Bell's grounder for another error. With two outs, Larkin walked Travis Lee to force home Brede with the tying run.

Williams then drove a 2-0 pitch from Larkin into the seats above the left-field scoreboard for a 7-2 Arizona lead. It was his ninth homer of the season and second grand slam, the other coming April 14 in St. Louis.

"The difference was that one pitch to Matt," Zeile said. "He's a goo veteran hitter. He got the count in his favor and got the bat head out."

The Marlins have committed 42 errors this season. Colorado also had 42 entering Wednesday night's game at Atlanta.

For Florida, it was a troublesome night from the beginning. The Marlins' first three hitters all reached base, but Cangelosi and Renteria both were caught stealing.

"I'm happy with our effort," Marlins manager Jim Leyland said. "We got caught a couple of times trying to be too aggressive. We made too many mistakes, but I'm not mad at them. It's because they were overaggressive."

Florida took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Zeile doubled for his second hit as a Marlin and scored on Floyd's one-out double. Craig Counsell followed with an RBI single.

Arizona pulled within 2-1 in the third when Brede tripled and scored on Andy Fox's single.

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