D-backs fall to Marlins 8-7 on June 29 after blowing a 9th-inning lead. Despite a multi-RBI day from Suárez, a late rally sealed a heartbreaking loss.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a game they had to have, a game they *did* have, until they didn't. The Arizona Diamondbacks snatched defeat from the jaws of victory on Sunday, blowing a ninth-inning lead and ultimately falling 8-7 to the Miami Marlins in 10 excruciating innings. The loss capped a three-game losing streak and served as a bitter pill to swallow at the exact halfway point of the season.
We keep fighting and battling, but we need to find a way to close out these games.
The scene at Chase Field was set for a much-needed win. Leading 7-6 heading into the top of the ninth, the D-backs were just three outs away from snapping their skid. But the bullpen, a source of inconsistency all season, couldn't slam the door. The Marlins scraped a run across to tie it, and the game spiraled into extras. In the 10th, José Ramírez delivered the final blow with a go-ahead RBI single, and the D-backs' bats went silent in the bottom half. Despite a multi-RBI day from Eugenio Suárez and a gritty start from Cal Quantrill, the late-game execution just wasn't there.
Sunday's loss wasn't just another tick in the 'L' column; it was a symbol of the entire first half. The defeat dropped the Diamondbacks to 41-41, a perfectly mediocre record for a team that has shown flashes of brilliance but struggled to maintain momentum. 'We keep fighting and battling, but we need to find a way to close out these games,' a frustrated manager Torey Lovullo said postgame. His words echo the sentiment of a fanbase watching the team miss chance after chance to gain ground. Now sitting 10 games behind the division-leading Dodgers, the D-backs are stuck on a treadmill of mediocrity, unable to string together the wins needed to make a real push.
Amidst the gloom of the team's performance, a significant bright spot emerged. Ketel Marte was officially named a finalist to start at second base for the National League in the 2025 MLB All-Star Game. It's a well-deserved honor for Marte, who has been the team's most consistent and dynamic offensive force. His performance is a reminder of the top-tier talent on this roster, giving fans something to cheer for and a reason to cast their All-Star ballots. While team success is the ultimate goal, Marte's individual excellence provides a welcome dose of positive news.
As the Diamondbacks close the book on the first 82 games, they stand at a crossroads. The talent is there, as Ketel Marte's All-Star recognition proves, but the results are not. The second half of the season will be a test of this team's resilience and its ability to learn from these painful losses. Can they figure out how to close out games and climb back into contention, or will the .500 mark be their ceiling? The answers will define the rest of their 2025 campaign.
