Grit Index: Chavez, Goldschmidt power rout of Marlins

Fresh off a successful seven-game homestand (4-3), the Arizona Diamondbacks kept their momentum going Friday against the hapless Miami Marlins.

Paul Goldschmidt (4-for-5, two home runs and 4 RBI) and Eric Chavez (4-for-5, home run and 2 RBI) powered the offensive attack, Trevor Cahill was terrific on the mound (one run allowed in eight innings) and Arizona went on to an easy 9-2 win in South Beach.

With his huge night, Goldschmidt is now second in the National League with 12 home runs and 35 RBI. As for Chavez, the veteran third baseman has at least one hit in each of his last seven starts and is 13 of his last 24 at the plate.

The D-backs are on a three-game win streak since falling to the Atlanta Braves 10-1 on Monday night.

The Good

Aside from Goldschmidt and Chavez’s combined eight-hit night, Cahill rebounded from a loss against the Philadelphia Phillies and put together a nice outing.

The D-backs right-hander gave up two hits and walked four through the first few innings, but retired 12 straight from the end of the third to the beginning of the seventh.

Friday marked the second time this season that Cahill has gone eight innings and given up one run or less.

Martin Prado recorded his first three-hit game since April 3 against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Bad

There’s hard to find many negatives in a seven-run blowout, outside of maybe the D-backs inability to retire Greg Dobbs at the dish. The Marlins infielder came into the night sporting a .209 batting average but collected three combined hits off of Cahill and reliever Will Harris.

Harris gave up one run on two hits in his lone inning of work. It was just his fourth career appearance.

Noted

• Outside of Wade Miley’s tough outing Monday (six earned runs in five innings), D-backs starting pitching has been great of late. In their last six games, Brandon McCarthy, Ian Kennedy, Patrick Corbin, Cahill and Miley have combined to give up just 11 earned runs.

• Paul Goldschmidt is just the second D-back in franchise history to have back-to-back games of three extra-base hits.

• The D-backs have now scored nine runs or more in a game five times in 2013.

He Said It

“He’s had a great year and a great last several games, with some big RBIs against the Braves and four hits tonight. He’s a great hitter and is off to a real good start with the team.” — Paul Goldschmidt on Eric Chavez

Up Next

The Diamondbacks look to continue their winning ways when they send right-hander Brandon McCarthy (0-3, 5.63) to the mound Saturday night at Marlins Park. He’ll be opposed by Marlins right-hander Tom Koehler (0-1, 3.31). McCarthy will be going for his first win of 2013, while Koehler will look to collect the first win of his career.

First pitch is slated for 4:10 p.m. here in Arizona and you can catch that game on Arizona Sports 620.