D-backs top Giants, pull into tie for NL West lead

Goldy's 200th career homer highlights five-run first inning

August 4th, 2018

PHOENIX -- One night after failing to capitalize on early scoring opportunities, the D-backs jumped all over Chris Stratton in the first inning for five runs on the way to a 6-3 win over the Giants on Friday night at Chase Field.
The win, combined with the Dodgers' loss to the Astros, pulled the D-backs into a tie for first place in the National League West.
got the offense started with a solo homer, the 200th of his career.

Unlike Thursday, when they got just one run out of nine baserunners in the first three innings, this time the D-backs kept pouring it on.
Arizona sent 11 men to the plate, scoring five runs on six hits, including a two-run single by pitcher (8-4).
Owings optioned to make room for Chafin
"It was great to see us come out and score early," acting manager Jerry Narron said.
Narron, the D-backs' bench coach, filled in for manager Torey Lovullo, who was under the weather, according to the team, and not at Chase Field.
The D-backs tacked on a run in the second inning when homered. It was a banner night for Peralta, who went 3-for-4 and finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle.
Peralta missed two games last week after experiencing some tightness in the back of his right shoulder.

In two games since his return to the lineup, Peralta is 7-for-9 with a pair of doubles and a homer.
"Peralta's been swinging the bat really well for us, which is nice to see after his days off," Narron said. "Really, guys were just trying to be patient and put the ball in play and not try to do too much."
That might not entirely be true of Peralta.
After collecting a single in the first, a home run in the second, a double in the fourth, Peralta admitted he might have been looking for a triple in his final two plate appearances.
"To be honest it's hard to think about it," Peralta said. "But at the same time if it's meant to be, it's going to happen, if it's not I'm pretty sure there will be another opportunity for me."

Peralta drew a walk in the sixth and struck out swinging in the eighth.
Corbin ran into some trouble early, allowing a run in the first and two more in the third, but outside of that he was lights out.
Sitting at 97 pitches through five, Narron elected to let Corbin hit in the bottom of the fifth and hoped he could get through the sixth despite being at 97 pitches.
Corbin wound up retiring the Giants in order in the frame while throwing just six pitches.
Bradley's dog watches him pitch
The D-backs then turned things over to in the seventh, in the eighth and Brad Boxberger in the ninth.

"A huge sixth inning to come out and get three outs real quick, and it gave us a chance to set up the bullpen with Yosh and Archie and Box," Narron said.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Big knock: When Corbin stepped to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded in the first inning, the D-backs led 3-1 and Stratton had a chance to limit the damage and wiggle out of the inning. It looked like he might just do that when he jumped ahead of Corbin 0-2, but Corbin was able to ground one back up the middle to score a pair and blow things open.

"It's a really good thing if you get to hit in the first," Corbin said. "I fell behind 0-2 and was just trying to put the bat on the ball and hope for a good thing to happen."
HE SAID IT
"It was a good win. We were able to get that lead and hold on. Try to go out there and do it again tomorrow." -- Goldschmidt, on the D-backs scoring some runs early 
UP NEXT
The D-backs take on the Giants in the third game of their four-game set on Saturday night at 5:10 p.m. MT at Chase Field with (4-1, 2.65 ERA) on the mound. Buchholz has proved to be an excellent pickup by the D-backs, who signed him to a Minor League contract May 4 and called him up a few weeks later. The right-hander has allowed three or fewer runs in eight of his nine starts this year. The Giants will counter with (4-6, 4.11).