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Preview, Game #70: Diamondbacks vs. Marlins

After reeling off seven wins in a row, Patrick Corbin makes his third effort to get that elusive 10th victory of the season: at home against the Marlins, there probably won't be a better chance for a while.

By Jim McLennan
Stephen Dunn

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Jacob Turner
RHP, 1-0, 1.80
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Patrick Corbin
LHP, 9-0, 2.28

Diamondbacks Line-up

  1. Gerardo Parra, RF
  2. Willie Bloomquist, 2B
  3. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
  4. Miguel Montero, C
  5. Cody Ross, RF
  6. Jason Kubel, LF
  7. Martin Prado, 3B
  8. Didi Gregorius, SS
  9. Patrick Corbin, P

It hasn't been entirely Corbin's fault that he didn't get #10 the last two starts. The Diamondbacks won both, but waited until our young starter had left the game before doing so. His first attempt, he pitched really well against the Giants, allowing one run over 7.1 innings, but the entire total of our productive offense was Goldschmidt's three-run homer, two outs after Corbin had left. His last start, in LA, wasn't quite as good, the Dodgers putting up a four-spot on him, but Arizona still took the game, thanks to four runs of our own in the twelfth. Still a win tonight would put Corbin in elite company. Here's where he currently stands among AZ pitchers over our first 70 games of a season.

Rk Player Year W L W-L% ERA GS CG SHO IP H ER HR BB SO WHIP
1 Curt Schilling 2002 12 3 .800 3.28 16 1 1 115.1 93 42 12 11 160 0.90
2 Curt Schilling 2001 11 2 .846 2.76 15 4 1 114.1 102 35 19 15 127 1.02

Randy Johnson 2000 11 1 .917 1.47 15 5 2 116.2 78 19 11 25 158 0.88
Brandon Webb 2008 11 2 .846 2.54 14 2 1 95.2 75 27 4 20 79 0.99
5 Randy Johnson 2002 10 2 .833 2.63 15 2 1 109.2 89 32 13 28 136 1.07
6 Randy Johnson 1999 9 3 .750 3.36 16 4 1 120.2 97 45 15 34 157 1.09
Randy Johnson 2001 9 4 .692 2.64 16 2 1 112.2 84 33 11 34 167 1.05
Randy Johnson 2004 9 5 .643 3.05 15 2 2 100.1 66 34 9 24 113 0.90
Patrick Corbin 2013 9 0 1.000 2.28 13 1 0 86.2 71 22 4 22 67 1.07
10 Brandon Webb 2006 8 2 .800 2.37 15 2 2 110.1 109 29 7 13 80 1.11
Todd Stottlemyre 2000 8 5 .615 4.18 13 0 0 75.1 74 35 14 29 62 1.37

A lot of Cy Youngs on the list. And Todd Stottlemyre. :) Of course, the fact that the Diamondbacks are also unbeaten in Corbin starts is pretty impressive, albeit balanced by the fact that when he doesn't start, the team record is now a disturbing 24-32. Of course, some of this likely random happenstance: it's not as if the offense tries a lot harder when he is on the mound. Or does it? Here's the list of run support provided to each of our main starters thus far in the 2013 campaign (in runs per 27 outs)

  1. Patrick Corbin, 5.29
  2. Ian Kennedy, 4.54
  3. Wade Miley, 4.23
  4. Brandon McCarthy, 4.19
  5. Trevor Cahill, 3.20

That certainly goes some way to explaining why we're 13-0 when he takes the mound - his ERA is more then three runs below the run support he receives. Contrast the help (or more accurately, lack of help) given to Cahill. What's more remarkable is that two of his three wins came in 9-2 victories, so you can guess exactly how much (or, again, more accurately, how little) support he received the rest of the time. In seven of his eleven losses and no-decisions, the Diamondbacks have scored exactly ONE run for Cahill. Across all those contests, Arizona has a total of just 23 runs. That's why Cahill has the most losses in the majors, of any pitcher with an ERA+ above 100.

For the Diamondbacks, they'll be looking to get their season back on track after a very disappointing series in San Diego. Meanwhile, it's the Giants' turn to deal with the Padres, and the Rockies are over the border to face the Blue Jays. If we don't win tonight, we could end the day out of first place for the first time in more than a month, since May 15. Counterpoint: it's the Marlins, who are 8-24 on the road this year, and have yet to win a three-game series outside Miami, in nine attempts. I'm optimistic Corbin can get the 10th win, end our losing streak, and put the visitors on the road to another series defeat this evening.

In This Stream

Game #70: Diamondbacks 2,. Marlins 3

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