Mat Latos throws 7 shutout innings to get Marlins back in win column
PHOENIX (AP) -- Trade rumors are swirling around Mat Latos and obviously it's not affecting his work.
Latos allowed four hits through seven innings in his third straight strong start and the Miami Marlins snapped a four-game losing streak with a 3-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.
It may well have been the next-to-last, if not the last, time he takes the mound for Miami ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.
"Right now I wear a Marlins uniform so I have to take care of business as a Marlin," he said. "This isn't a one-man game so right now I owe it to the 24 other guys in the clubhouse (to give) 110 percent all day, every day, until they kick me out of the clubhouse. That's just the way it goes."
Michael Morse homered off Jeremy Hellickson (6-6) in the Diamondbacks' seventh loss in their last eight games. Adeiny Hechavarria and Christian Yelich each had an RBI single.
Latos (4-6) struck out seven, matching his season high for the second straight game, and walked one. The 6-foot-6 right-hander has allowed a combined three runs over his last three starts -- a span of 20 innings. In his previous outing, he gave up one run and one hit in seven innings but took the loss against the Cubs in Chicago.
"You know in his last six starts he's really thrown the ball excellent," manager Dan Jennings said, "but tonight he just pounded the strike zone. His angle to the fastball and his ability to get all his pitches over from the beginning was huge."
Jennings said he has told Latos and Dan Haren, another top trade prospect, that he will keep them in the loop.
Latos doesn't want to be surprised.
"I told him 'Yeah, of course I want to know,'" he said. "I want to know what's going on because I've got a 10-month-old and I've got a family to worry about."
A.J. Pollock singled twice for the Diamondbacks. The other hits off Latos were a single by Paul Goldschmidt and an infield single by Yasmany Tomas.
Hellickson allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings, striking out six with no walks.
Carter Capps, hitting 100 mph on the Chase Field radar gun with his odd hop-off-the-pitching rubber delivery, threw a perfect eighth.
Arizona manager Chip Hale said Capps' delivery should not be allowed.
"It plays to the integrity of the game for me," Hale said. "That's just the rule. Your foot is supposed to be in contact with the rubber, at least close. He's not even close. The league OK'd it. The umpires really have no say in it right now. The league said it is OK, and they have to let it go. It's very difficult to watch."
A.J. Ramos completed the shutout for his 15th save after blowing one Sunday in Philadelphia.
Hellickson gave up a one-out single to Martin Prado in the first, then retired the next 13 hitters before J.T. Realmuto's two-out double down the left field line in the fifth. Realmuto stole third and scored when Hechavarria singled up the middle.
Morse, entering the game with just a .208 average, led off the seventh with his fourth home run of the season, an opposite-field shot to right. The left-handed hitting Yelich singled in the third run off left-hander Andrew Chafin in the eighth.
The Diamondbacks had only two real scoring threats all night, stranding runners in scoring position both times.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Marlins: RHP Henderson Alvarez (right shoulder inflammation) is scheduled to make his next rehab appearance at Double-A Jacksonville on Saturday or Sunday, Jennings said. Alvarez threw 55 pitches at Class-A Jupiter on Monday, his fastball sitting at 90-92 mph and topping out at 94 mph. ... 2B Dee Gordon hit off a tee Tuesday and "looked good, looked comfortable," Jennings said after watching the video. Gordon, second in the NL in batting average (.338) and stolen bases (33), has been on the DL retroactive to July 12 with a dislocated left thumb. He is eligible to return July 28.
UP NEXT
Marlins: RHP Jose Fernandez (2-0, 2.37 ERA) gets his fourth start of the season in the rubber match of the three-game series.
Diamondbacks: LHP Robbie Ray (3-4, 2.29) will try to give Arizona its second win in six games of a 10-game homestand.
