The Arizona Diamondbacks turned two bunts, a single to the outfield and an infield error into two runs to break a tie in the seventh inning and went on to beat the San Francisco Giants 5-3 on Wednesday in Phoenix.
The Diamondbacks’ Josh Rojas added an insurance run later in the seventh with his sixth home run of the season. Arizona has won five of six since the All-Star break and six of seven overall.
Giants starter Logan Webb (9-4), who was 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in his previous four starts, didn’t survive the seventh. In 6 1/3 innings, he gave up four runs and seven hits with a walk and five strikeouts. His season ERA rose to 2.91.
The Giants are winless in seven games since the All-Star break. They went 0-7 on a road trip for the first time since 1985.
The Diamondbacks’ Jake McCarthy began the home seventh with a bunt single. Sergio Alcantara singled to center and took second on the throw to third. Jose Herrera’s sacrifice bunt scored McCarthy, and Alcantara followed him home when first baseman Brandon Belt’s throw home was wild.
Noe Ramirez (3-3), Arizona’s third pitcher, got the win despite allowing a run and a hit in 1 1/3 innings.
Closer Mark Melancon allowed a hit and a walk but picked up his 14th save in 16 opportunities by striking out Tommy La Stella with runners on the corners.
Arizona starter Zac Gallen went five innings but struggled with an elevated pitch count. He allowed two runs (one earned), three hits and a walk. He struck out five but left with a pitch count of 93.
The fourth inning proved troublesome for both starters.
Entering the frame up 1-0 on Ketel Marte’s 10th homer in the first inning, Gallen surrendered a double to Wilmer Flores. He took third on a wild pitch, and Thairo Estrada singled to bring in the first run.
An unearned run scored in the inning when Estrada stole second, and Diamondbacks shortstop Alcantara fumbled the throw for an error, allowing Luis Gonzalez to score from third.
In the bottom of the fourth, Marte doubled, and David Peralta hit a ground-rule double to right to tie the game at 2-2.
Marte extended his on-base streak to 18 games. Marte, Rojas and Peralta each had two of Arizona’s eight hits.
The Giants moved within two in the eighth when Austin Slater doubled and Belt singled him home. Estrada had three of San Francisco’s seven hits.
–Field Level Media
