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GAME LOG
MIAMI (AP) -- Pennant-race pressure and a bases-loaded jam
brought out the best in Curt Schilling, and the three-time All-Star won his first start for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
|  | | Curt Schilling allowed six hits in his eight innings of work. |
Schilling punched the air with his fist in jubilation when he
struck out Preston Wilson with the bases loaded to end the fifth
inning, and Arizona went on to beat the Florida Marlins 4-1 Friday
night.
The Diamondbacks, who began the game one percentage point behind
San Francisco, regained a half-game lead in the NL West. The Giants
beat Chicago 2-0 earlier in the day.
"I saw the Giants won," said Schilling, acquired Wednesday
from Philadelphia in a trade he sought. "It's fun as hell to
scoreboard watch. It's the first time in seven years that I've been
in a pennant race. I don't know anything funner than coming to the
park with that pressure every day."
Schilling (7-6) allowed one run and six hits in eight innings.
He struck out five, walked two and hit 96 mph at least four times
on the radar gun, manager Buck Showalter said.
Schilling also doubled off the wall in the third inning.
"That will be the highlight no one believes in Philadelphia," he said.
The veteran right-hander started slowly this season following shoulder surgery, but since June 16 he's 6-2 with a 1.90 ERA.
"I think he's glad this night is over with," Showalter said. "It's a very challenging night for him going out there when perfection is expected and people are ready to jump on the
bandwagon if you fail. That makes this doubly impressive for me."
The Marlins beat Atlanta's Greg Maddux on Thursday, but they couldn't do much against Schilling. Their best chance came in the
fifth when they scored and then loaded the bases, but Schilling struck out Wilson on three consecutive fastballs, the last one at 95 mph.
"That was taking it to another level," Showalter said.
"I felt it was one of the few times you could trick a fastball hitter with a fastball," Schilling said.
Wilson reacted by pounding his bat into the ground in disgust.
The Marlins' cleanup hitter has 129 strikeouts and remains on pace
to break Bobby Bonds' major-league record of 189 set in 1970.
With the score 3-1 and a man on in the eighth, Wilson drove a
fly to deep right field, but Danny Bautista jumped and made the catch near the wall. Matt Mantei struck out the side in a 1-2-3 ninth for his seventh save in nine chances.
Reid Cornelius (3-5) lost his third consecutive start despite
allowing only one earned run in 6 2/3 innings. An error by former
Arizona shortstop Andy Fox gave the Diamondbacks two unearned runs in the fifth as the Marlins lost for the sixth time in seven games.
Luis Castillo drove in Florida's only run with a single,
extending his hitting streak to 19 games and earning his seventh
RBI in 323 at-bats.
Bautista singled and scored on Matt Williams' two-out double to
give Arizona a 1-0 lead in the first.
The Diamondbacks made it 3-0 in the fifth. Erubiel Durazo
singled and Damian Miller walked, and both advanced on Schilling's
sacrifice. With two out, Fox failed to make a backhanded grab on a
high-hopper by Tony Womack, and two runs scored.
"I've got to make that play, no excuse," Fox said. "It turned
out to be the big play in the game."
Fox was starting for Alex Gonzalez, who went on the disabled list Friday with a strained knee.
Schilling had completed three of his past four starts. But Rob
Ryan pinch-hit for him in the ninth and doubled home Arizona's
final run.
"After the fifth inning, I was pretty well spent," Schilling
said. "It was hard to catch my breath tonight. I was pretty worked
up for this one. ...
"It's been surreal. I pack up nine years in my bag and walk out
of Philly and leave a lot of friends. But the thing that keeps me
giddy is that I'm on a first-place team."
Game notes
Marlins OF Cliff Floyd aggravated his strained left knee
running out a double in the fourth. He left the game in the eighth,
and an MRI was planned. ... The meeting was the first this season
between the former expansion teams. Arizona leads the series 15-3.
... Schilling has 128 strikeouts in 110 2/3 innings against
Florida.
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Kurkjian: D-Backs bank on Schilling for October
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AUDIO/VIDEO
 Curt Schilling talks with ESPN's Scott Walker about his debut with Arizona.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Curt Schilling is excited to be a part of a pennant race.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Marlins' Preston Wilson comments on Curt Schilling's debut with Arizona.
wav: 77 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Schilling may not be at full strength, but Buck Showalter knows he doesn't need to be.
wav: 95 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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