Diamondbacks hit natural cycle in 10-7 win over Brewers
By JOHN MARSHALL AP Sports Writer
PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks fell into an early hole against a team ahead of them in the NL wild-card standings.
Once they cycled through the third inning, the hits kept coming.
Christian Walker hit a two-run homer to cap the first natural cycle by consecutive batters in Arizona’s history, lifting the Diamondbacks to a 10-7 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night.
“I was really pleased with the way we swung the bats tonight,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “We fell behind early and kept plowing away. We had the six-run inning and kept tacking on.”
Milwaukee won the opener 5-1 after scoring three runs in the eighth inning Thursday night.
The Diamondbacks broke open the second game with six runs in the third inning against Jhoulys Chacin (3-10), punctuated by hitting a single, double, triple and home run in four straight at-bats.
Arizona’s Eduardo Escobar homered and had a run-scoring triple, and All-Star Ketel Marte had two RBIs for a career-high 60.
Archie Bradley (3-4) allowed a hit in 1 1/3 innings and Greg Holland worked a perfect ninth for his 16th save.
Arizona moved within a game of the final NL wild card spot with its seventh win in 10 games.
“We’re feeling good, we’re playing well,” Marte said. “We feel like we have what it takes to make the playoffs.”
Christian Yelich hit a two-run homer , his majors-leading 35th, and Lorenzo Cain hit a solo shot for the Brewers. Milwaukee led 3-1 early and scored three runs in the seventh inning to pull within 10-7, but couldn’t make up the deficit after the third.
“Offensively we did a nice job, put pressure on them,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “It just wasn’t enough.”
Chacin was sharp his last start in a no-decision against San Francisco, allowing an earned run on four hits in five innings.
He was not so sharp against the Diamondbacks.
Nick Ahmed hit a sacrifice fly in the second inning before Arizona went up 7-3 in the third.
Marte followed Jarrod Dyson’s one-out single with his second double. Escobar lined a run-scoring triple and Walker followed with a two-run homer to left.
Arizona scored two more runs after Chacin was lifted and second baseman Keston Hiura botched a potential double play for an error.
Chacin gave up seven runs — six earned — on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings to remain winless in 11 straight starts since April 30.
“I haven’t done anything to keep me in the rotation,” Chacin said.
CLARKE’S NIGHT
Arizona’s Taylor Clarke (back) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list to start against the Brewers.
The right-hander was hit hard early.
Hiura lined a two-run single in the second inning and Cain led off the third with his seventh homer to put Milwaukee up 3-1.
Clarke allowed four runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.
“Just a few of those counts of falling behind and not really making a quality pitch,” he said.
MARTE EJECTED
Marte was ejected in the seventh inning — after swinging through a pitch on a strikeout.
Marte questioned a previous strike call by plate umpire Sam Holbrook, then slammed his bat and helmet to the ground after missing Burch Smith’s third strike. Holbrook sent Marte off right after his helmet hit the dirt.
“I felt it was unfair because I didn’t say anything to him,” Marte said through a translator after his second career ejection. “Maybe the helmet landed a little too close to him, but I really didn’t say anything to warrant what happened.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: RHP Jimmy Nelson (elbow) is slated to make a rehab start for Class-A Wisconsin on Sunday.
Diamondbacks: Dyson was back in the lineup after missing Thursday’s game with a hamstring cramp. … RHP Jon Duplantier (shoulder) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Reno. INF Domingo Leyba also was sent to Reno.
UP NEXT
Brewers: LHP Gio Gonzalez is expected to be activated from the 10-day injured list (left arm fatigue) to start against Arizona on Saturday. He made rehab starts with Class-A Carolina and Triple-A San Antonio after going on the injured list May 29.
Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Greinke needs six strikeouts against the Brewers on Saturday to tie Tim Keefe (2,555) for 31st and seven to tie Jerry Koosman (2,556) for 30th on the career strikeouts list.
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