If one were to judge Jason Marquis’ performance at the plate on Thursday, it might be easy to assume that he had a good day—he was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Unfortunately for Marquis and the Cardinals, his evening on the mound wasn’t as prosperous in a 9-2 loss to the Diamondbacks.
Marquis lasted 7 2/3 innings and was charged with six runs off 10 hits and four walks. Marquis retired the first two batters he saw in the eighth inning and seemed poised to get out of the frame unscathed. But Tony Clark belted a ground-rule double to right field, Troy Glaus singled in Clark with a single and Shawn Green moved Glaus to second with a single. That was it for Marquis.
His replacement was no better. Julian Tavarez walked former Cardinal shortstop Royce Clayton, then served up a two-run single to former Royals catcher Kelly Stinnett to make it 6-2. Tavarez then loaded the bases when Alex Cintron reached on an infield single. Ray King entered the game and Tavarez hit the showers. King allowed Craig Counsell singled to center, to drive in two more runs. In all, the Diamondbacks scored five two-out runs and increased their lead to 8-2.
St. Louis went down in order in the eighth and ninth innings.
In his last l2 starts, Marquis (9-12) is 1-9 and has dropped six in a row.
The game marked the return of catcher Yadier Molina, who has been out with a broken hand since July 7. Oddly enough, it was Claudio Vargas—the Diamondbacks starter on Thursday—who threw the pitch that struck Molina in the hand.
