MIAMI -- After coming through with their first four-game road sweep in seven years, the Arizona Diamondbacks can afford to laugh.

That was the case on Thursday afternoon when Arizona center fielder A.J. Pollock was asked about his game-winning, 30-foot single that was -- in effect -- a swinging bunt.

"That's exactly how I drew it up," joked Pollock, who beat out a close play at first base. "I was trying to swing real hard and make sure it didn't go too far."

Pollock's well-placed hit off reliever Sam Dyson (2-1) in the eighth inning scored shortstop Cliff Pennington from third base and sank the Miami Marlins 7-6 at Marlins Park.

"It was a good series for us," Pollock said after Arizona improved to 19-21. “We wanted to rebound from our last series in Philadelphia (a three-game Phillies sweep). It shows our character that we can rebound."

Arizona catcher Jordan Pacheco led off the eighth with a walk. Pennington put down a sacrifice bunt, and both runners were safe when Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto couldn't get the ball out of his glove.

First baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who had entered the game as a defensive replacement, hit an infield single to third, loading the bases with no outs.

The Marlins looked like they might escape the jam when right fielder Giancarlo Stanton threw out Pacheco, who had tried to score from third on a flyout to right.

But that's where Pollock's speed allowed him to beat Dyson's throw.

Realmuto blamed himself for failing to get the ball out of his glove on the bunt play, which is the same thing that happened to Marlins pitcher Mat Latos earlier in the game.

"Plays like that are what our problem is right now," Realmuto said of his miscue. "If I make that play, it probably changes the whole course of the game."

Instead, the Marlins (16-26) have lost seven games in a row, all during their current homestand.

Dan Jennings, who took over as manager after the Marlins fired Mike Redmond on Sunday, is 0-4. He has spent more than three decades as a scout and personnel guy but had never coached above the high school level before this week.

"The effort, the work ethic -- everything that needs to be in place to break out of this is there," Jennings said. "When it breaks, someone is going to pay."

Neither starting pitcher factored in the decision. Arizona's Archie Bradley allowed nine hits, two walks and four runs in five innings. Latos gave up seven hits, two walks and six runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Bradley survived a three-run first inning by the Marlins to at least keep Arizona in the game.

"The first inning was a little shaky," Bradley said. "But the way this team has been built, I knew it was one of those days where I had to minimize the damage ... You could just feel in the dugout that we were going to score some runs."

Those runs benefited reliever Andrew Chafin (2-0), who pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win. Brad Ziegler picked up his first save of the season, pitching a perfect ninth inning.

Arizona opened the scoring in the first inning. Right fielder Ender Inciarte led off with a single and scored when third baseman Yasmany Tomas went the opposite way with a two-out double to right.

Miami used a leadoff walk by second baseman Dee Gordon and four singles to take a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third. The run-scoring hits were by Stanton and first baseman Justin Bour, and they gave the Marlins their first lead since last Friday against Atlanta.

Arizona cut its deficit to 3-2 in the second. Pacheco singled, stole second and scored on a two-out, two-strike single by Inciarte. It was Pacheco's first steal since 2012.

Miami went up 4-2 when Realmuto hit a leadoff triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria. Realmuto leads all major-league catchers with three triples this season.

Arizona scored four runs in the sixth, knocking out Latos and taking a 6-4 lead. Tomas led off the inning with a single and first baseman Mark Trumbo drew a walk. Second baseman Chris Owings put down a sacrifice bunt, but Latos, who tried to go to third on the play, could not get the ball out of his glove, loading the bases.

That set the stage for an RBI double by Pennington, two sacrifice flies and Inciarte's RBI single.

Miami tied the score 6-6 with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Center fielder Marcell Ozuna and third baseman Martin Prado got RBI singles.

In the end, though, the Marlins' rally fell short.

"We're happy as can be," Latos said sarcastically when asked about the mood of the Marlins. "This is getting tiring."

NOTES: Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt, mired in a 4-for-24 slump (.167), was not in the starting lineup. RF Mark Trumbo started in his place. ... Miami started rookie 1B Justin Bour over slumping veteran 1B Michael Morse. ... The Diamondbacks return home to face the Chicago Cubs, a team they were 5-2 against last season. Goldschmidt is hitting .366 in 19 games against the Cubs. ... The Marlins conclude their 10-game homestand with a weekend series against the Baltimore Orioles. The Marlins are 18-6 against the O's, including 11-1 at home. The O's haven't beaten the Marlins in Miami since 1999. ... Arizona was credited with an extra stolen base Wednesday. That gave the Diamondbacks seven steals, tying a franchise record set in 2000 against the Mets.