The Arizona Diamondbacks erupted for four runs in the sixth inning and held on for their seventh win in eight games, a 5-4 victory over the Washington Nationals in Phoenix on Wednesday afternoon.
The Nationals, who lost their fourth game in a row, scored one run in the eighth on Luis Garcia Jr.’s RBI single off Kevin Ginkel, but with the tying run later at the plate, the right-hander got a ground ball for an inning-ending forceout.
Washington staged another comeback bid in the ninth off Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald.
Jacob Young walked to begin the frame and scored on a one-out double by CJ Abrams. Sewald then walked Juan Yepez and James Wood and was pulled in favor of Ryan Thompson. Of Sewald’s 24 pitches, only nine were strikes.
Thompson struck out Harold Ramirez, but a passed ball brought home Abrams and made it a 5-4 game. An intentional walk reloaded the bases, but Riley Adams grounded out for Thompson’s first save of the season.
Jake McCarthy capped a big series with three hits, including a triple, and one run as the Diamondbacks ran their record to 19-8 since June 29, the most wins in the majors during that span.
With the game tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth, Eugenio Suarez singled and Randal Grichuk doubled off Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore (6-9). Pavin Smith’s groundout to first base brought in the go-ahead run.
Pinch hitter Geraldo Perdomo, Corbin Carroll and Jose Herrera added run-scoring hits in the frame.
In 5 1/3 innings, Gore was charged with three runs on eight hits and one walk. He had just one strikeout.
Arizona starter Zac Gallen (9-5) won his third straight start. In six innings, he surrendered one run on six hits and one walk while striking out six.
The Diamondbacks took an early lead when McCarthy tripled in the third and scored on a wild pitch. McCarthy had his second straight three-hit game, and in his past five games, he is 12-for-22 (.545) with five runs.
The Nationals quickly tied the game. Wood led off the fourth with a single and scored on Harold Ramirez’s double to make it 1-1.
Adams replaced catcher Keibert Ruiz to start the bottom of the fifth inning after the latter took a pitch to the groin in the fourth.
Alex Call had a double and a walk for the Nationals.
–Field Level Media
