Congratulations D-Backs. You’ve just been officially owned by Ricky Nolasco. (I refuse to use the phrase “PWNED!” more than once in any particular decade.)

Last time Ricky saw you guys, you were sitting on top of the world. The first place, ball-smashin’, perfect-pitchin’ D-Backs. Oh, what a month it’s been. Just 12-22 since Ricky Nolasco and the Marlins put the clamp on your offense in a 3-1 win in mid-May.

With a chance at redemption Friday night, you took to the Dolphin Stadium diamond, this time with Micah Owings as your weapon of choice against Ricky No-No. The results, unfortunately, were pretty much the same. A 3-1 loss on the road.

Nolasco, who started the game off by giving up 2 hits and a sac fly, recovered and threw 8 innings of 6-hit ball — 3 in the first & 3 scattered over the next seven — to break the Marlins out of their 4-game skid. If the Fish can keep up their winning ways against ‘Zona this weekend, they’ll be rewarded with series against Washington, Colorado, San Diego and LA. All of which are under .500 on the season (17, 16, 17 and 5 games under, respectively); soft schedule that should give them a nice break before they take on the NL East again.

Original Image: AP Photo/Lynne Sladky