HOUSTON – Eduardo Rodriguez tossed six solid innings of one-run ball to earn his 15th win, Nolan Arenado crushed his 22nd homer of the year and the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Houston Astros 3-2 on Sunday at Daikin Park.
The Diamondbacks took two of three from the American League West-leading Astros after dropping the opener on Friday night. Arizona owns a one-game lead for the final National League Wild Card spot over the San Diego Padres, who were in action against the Yankees at final out, as they continue their road trip on Monday in Kansas City.
After giving up a solo homer to Yordan Alvarez in the first inning, his 38th of the season, Rodriguez settled into a groove and allowed only two singles the rest of the day.
Rodriguez set down eight straight batters at one point and finished giving up one run on three hits, walking two and striking out six in the victory. He is now 15-5 overall this season.
This is his best season on the mound since 2019, when he won 19 games with the Red Sox.
Trailing 1-0 in the second, Corbin Carroll led off with a double and later scored on a James McCann sacrifice fly to tie the game at 1-1.
In the third inning, the game was delayed for a few minutes after Geraldo Perdomo was hit in the helmet with a line drive off Ketel Marte’s bat in between first and second. Perdomo walked off under his own power but did not return to the game.
A few moments later, Arenado flipped the script, blasting a fastball from starter Peter Lambert a Statcast-projected 385 feet into the Crawford Boxes for a two-run homer.
The Astros cut into the lead, making it 3-2, in the eighth on a bloop single to left field by pinch-hitter LaMonte Wade Jr. He drove in Jose Altuve, who doubled earlier in the frame.
This is the second straight game in which the D-backs have come from behind and marks their 43rd comeback victory for the season, leading the Majors.