Diamondbacks run all over Edward Cabrera to complete sweep of Marlins

MIAMI, FL—The series finale between the Miami Marlins and the Arizona Diamondbacks produced one of the weirdest box scores you'll see this season. Despite out-hitting Arizona, 13-5, the Marlins fell by a final score of 6-4 and were swept for the first time in 2025.

After a nice season debut, Edward Cabrera regressed to his career norms on Thursday afternoon. Cabrera surrendered five runs on four hits, walked three and struck out six.

In the top of the first inning, Corbin Carroll manufactured the first run of the ballgame by stealing second and third, then scoring on a sacrifice fly. Jupiter native Pavin Smith made it 2-0 when he took a Cabrera four-seam fastball deep for his third home run of the season. Smith had an incredible series overall, going 6-for-11 with three walks.

In his previous start, Cabrera's fastball averaged 97.9 mph, topping out at 99.5 mph. On Thursday, his fastball velocity saw a significant dip, averaging 95.6 mph (a 2.3 mph decrease) and topping out at 96.8 mph.

"They started running some deep counts," said manager Clayton McCullough. "When he got ahead, they tightened up there when he had count leverage and was a lot of foul balls and then they ran the pitch count up along with some of the walks and it just got up on there. Overall for how it went, he did a good job of just keeping it in there and doing his best to continue to go as long as he could. The pitch count got to him there, especially in his second start coming back."

The Diamondbacks stole five bases while Cabrera was on the mound. He noted postgame that he needs to be more unpredictable.

"We're always discussing ways, varying times or holding the ball," said McCullough. "They have some guys very capable on their roster. Unfortunately, the ones that do get on base, they have that ability and days like this happen will. We need to try to do our best to just vary up the timing."

Third baseman Connor Norby made his season debut following a stint on the injured list due to a left oblique strain. He played third base and hit second in the lineup and went 1-for-5. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Norby got to reliever Ryan Thompson, knocking his first base hit of the season and moving Rob Brantly to second.

"I think the first at-bat was a little antsy," said McCullough. "I think he was really aggressive, and to be expected. For him this is kind of like Opening Day this season. The last couple of at-bats, he started to settle, to slow things down a little bit, let the action come to him which I think that's just very normal for anyone that missed the start and now is just getting back into it."

When catcher Nick Fortes landed on the IL last week, the Marlins called up Rob Brantly from Triple-A Jacksonville. On Thursday, he made his second start of the season and went 3-for-3 with three singles. It marked his first multi-hit game since September 28, 2017 when he was with the Chicago White Sox and first three-hit game since June 8, 2013. He became the second-oldest catcher in franchise history to record a three-hit game. Mike Mordecai was 36 in 2004 when he did so as an emergency catcher.

The Marlins put runners on base in all nine innings, but also struck out 16 times. Brantly was the only starting position player without any Ks.

The Marlins are 8-10 on the season and will now take on the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Sandy Alcantara will take the mound for the Marlins on Friday and go up against Zack Wheeler. First pitch is at 6:45 pm.