Jordan Montgomery throws 6 quality innings and Diamondbacks hang on to beat Marlins 3-2

PHOENIX (AP) — Christian Walker and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit back-to-back RBI doubles in the first inning, Jordan Montgomery threw six quality innings and the Arizona Diamondbacks held on for a 3-2 win over the Miami Marlins on Saturday night.

The D-backs — the defending National League champions — are 11-7 since May 5 as they try to get back to .500 for the season. They improved to 25-27.

Montgomery (3-2) gave up two runs and nine hits over six innings, walking one and striking out four. Arizona also got some good work from lefty reliever Joe Mantiply, who struck out Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Tim Anderson to strand Emmanuel Rivera at second in the eighth.

Montgomery got a late start to the season after signing a $25 million, one-year deal on March 29, one day after the season opener. The 31-year-old pitcher was one of several Scott Boras clients who signed late and Montgomery ended up switching his representation to Joel Wolfe of Wasserman Media Group in the aftermath of the protracted negotiations.

The veteran acknowledged that the lack of spring training wasn't ideal, but he's closer to feeling like his old self.

“I did my best to be ready and I'm happy I can go out there every five days and at least give the team a chance to win,” Montgomery said. “Hopefully, I can do that even more now.”

Montgomery said the biggest thing he missed during the spring was a chance to work on his pitches without worrying much about the scoreboard. This season, he had to be ready from his first start on April 19.

He has a 4.69 ERA over 40 1/3 innings this season.

“I used to hate spring training,” Montgomery said with a slight grin. “Now, I love spring training.”

Paul Sewald worked the ninth for his fourth save in as many chances, retiring the Marlins in order. He returned from the injured list on May 7, solidifying the back end of the team's bullpen.

The Marlins jumped ahead 1-0 in the first. Dane Myers hit a leadoff double into the right-field corner and Josh Bell drove him home with an RBI single.

The D-backs wasted no time responding, taking a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning after the RBI doubles from Walker and Gurriel. Arizona pushed the lead to 3-1 in the second on Corbin Carroll's sacrifice fly.

Walker and Eugenio Suárez both had two hits.

The Marlins cut the margin to 3-2 on Chisholm double to deep center, but Chisholm was thrown out at third trying to stretch the hit into a triple, which stifled a potentially bigger rally.

“I don't think we ran the bases incredibly well,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “But I do feel like we put together some really good at-bats against Montgomery. He's one of the best pitchers in the league.”

Marlins right-hander Sixto Sánchez (0-3) gave up three runs and five hits over five innings. He walked two and struck out two. The Marlins' bullpen trio of Anthony Bender, Andrew Nardi and Calvin Faucher combined to throw three hitless innings.

The D-backs won despite not having a hit after the fourth inning.

UP NEXT

The three-game series wraps up Sunday. Arizona LHP Blake Walston (0-0, 4.91 ERA) will make his first big league start while the Marlins are expected to throw LHP Ryan Weathers (2-4, 3.49 ERA).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Miami Marlins' Chisholm Jr. watches his RBI double against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Miami Marlins pitcher Sixto Sánchez throws to an Arizona Diamondbacks batter during the first inning during a baseball game Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll (7) steals second base as Miami Marlins shortstop Tim Anderson waits for the throw during the first inning during a baseball game Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Miami Marlins' Dane Myers reacts after hitting a double against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning during a baseball game, Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Miami Marlins' Dane Myers heads home to score against the Arizona Diamondbacks on a single by Josh Bell during the first inning during a baseball game Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Christian Walker watches his RBI double against the Miami Marlins during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Jake McCarthy (31) steals second base as Miami Marlins second baseman Otto Lopez tries to make the tag during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Jordan Montgomery throws against the Miami Marlins in the first inning during a baseball game, Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union countries on Monday gave final approval to a major and long-awaited plan to better protect nature in the 27-nation bloc, a divisive issue after months of protests by farmers who argued that EU environmental and climate laws were driving them toward bankruptcy.

After surviving a razor-thin vote by lawmakers last summer, the so-called Nature Restoration Plan faced opposition from several member states, leaving the bill deadlocked for months.

The law, which aims at restoring ecosystems, species and habitats in the EU, was finally adopted at a meeting of environment ministers at Luxembourg after rallying the required support from a qualified majority representing 15 of the 27 member states and 65% of the EU population. Austria's decision to finally support the plan helped to break the stalemate.

“This is the final step before this law can enter into force,” said the Belgian presidency of the EU Council.

The Nature Restoration plan is a part of the EU’s European Green Deal that seeks to establish the world’s most ambitious climate and biodiversity targets, and make the bloc the global point of reference on all climate issues.

Under the plan, member states will have to meet restoration targets for specific habitats and species, to cover at least 20% of the region’s land and sea areas by 2030.

“The result of hard work has paid off,” said Belgian environment minister Alain Maron. “There can be no pause in protecting our environment. The EU Council makes the choice to restore nature in the EU, protecting its biodiversity and our living environment.”

Austria’s environment minister, Leonore Gewessler, voted for the plan after months of domestic political debate. The move by Gewessler, a member of the Green party, infuriated the senior partner in the coalition government — Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s conservative Austrian People’s Party — ahead of a national election set for Sept. 29.

“My conscience tells me unmistakably (that) when the healthy and happy life of future generations is at stake, courageous decisions are needed,” Gewessler wrote on social network X.

Ahead of the vote, the chancellery said Nehammer informed the Belgian EU presidency that a vote in favor of the plan by Gewessler would be unlawful, the Austria Press Agency reported. Nehammer’s office said after the decision that Austria will file a suit at the European Court of Justice to nullify the vote.

In the buildup to the EU elections that saw a shift to the right earlier this month, European farmers complained about the many environmental laws governing the way they work, arguing that the rules were harming their livelihoods and strangling them with red tape.

Environmental organizations and a coalition of big companies insisted last year the legislation was crucial to tackle both climate change and nature loss. But the plan lost some of its progressive edge during negotiations because of fierce opposition from the EU Parliament's main political group EPP, which along with other conservatives and the far right has insisted the plans would undermine food security, fuel inflation and hurt farmers.

Greenpeace said a failure by EU governments to approve the law would have been embarrassing ahead of the next UN biodiversity meeting in Colombia in October.

“Despite the weakening of the law, this deal offers a ray of hope for Europe’s nature, future generations and the livelihoods of rural communities,” said Greenpeace biodiversity campaigner Špela Bandelj Ruiz. "Healthy ecosystems offer protection against extreme weather, water shortages, and pollution.”

Associated Press reporter Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.

FILE - A man walks on a path during a protest against large-scale government logging in the Bialowieza Forest, Poland, Aug. 13, 2017. European Union countries on Monday, June 17, 2024, gave final approval to a major and long-awaited plan to better protect nature in the 27-nation bloc. After surviving a razor-thin vote by lawmakers last summer, the so-called Nature Restoration Plan faced opposition from several member states for months amid relentless farmers’ protests that contributed to leave the bill in a deadlock. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, file)

FILE - A water meter stands in a dry wetland in Donana natural park, southwest Spain, on Oct. 19, 2022. European Union countries on Monday, June 17, 2024, gave final approval to a major and long-awaited plan to better protect nature in the 27-nation bloc. After surviving a razor-thin vote by lawmakers last summer, the so-called Nature Restoration Plan faced opposition from several member states for months amid relentless farmers’ protests that contributed to leave the bill in a deadlock. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)