Christian Walker singled in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning to punctuate his return to Arizona as the Houston Astros beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-3 on Wednesday in Phoenix to complete a three-game sweep.
Zack Short and Taylor Trammell had bunt singles to open the ninth off Kevin Ginkel (1-4) before Walker grounded a one-out single to center. He finished 6-for-14 in the series.
Yainer Diaz had three hits and scored twice and Brandon Walter pitched seven strong innings for the Astros, who won their first series since sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers July 4-6.
Geraldo Perdomo tied a career high with four hits, including two doubles, and Ketel Marte drilled his 20th homer for the D-Backs, who lost their third straight after a four-game winning streak.
The D-Backs trailed 3-1 entering the eighth before tying it off Bennett Sousa (4-0). Perdomo doubled to open the inning and Marte singled him to third before Corbin Carroll doubled into the right-field corner to make it 3-2.
Eugenio Suarez walked with one out to load the bases, then Josh Naylor dropped a single into short right to tie the game at 3-3. The Astros escaped further damage when Sousa induced a Randal Grichuk double play.
Perdomo singled with two outs in the ninth off Josh Hader, but Hader got Marte looking at a slider to record his 27th save in 28 chances.
The Astros are 20-9 in one-run games.
Houston first baseman Victor Caratini extended his career-high hitting streak to 11 games with a seventh-inning single. He is hitting .355 with four homers and 17 RBIs in July.
Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt gave up five hits and two runs in 5 1/3 innings — amassing five strikeouts and two walks along the way. He extended his scoreless streak to 15 innings before the Astros scored in the sixth.
Ketel Marte hit Walter’s first pitch for a 420-foot homer in the first inning, but Walter gave up only three hits the rest of the way for his seventh quality start in nine outings this season. He struck out five and walked one.
The Astros took a 2-1 lead in the sixth when Walker and Diaz opened the inning with consecutive doubles. Walker, who tagged at second believing the ball might be caught, stopped at third. Walker scored when Brice Matthews reached on a fielding error by Perdomo. Diaz advanced to third on a flyout and scored on a wild pitch by reliever Andrew Saalfrank.
Mauricio Dubon singled in a run in the eighth for a 3-1 lead.
–Field Level Media
