Field Level Media
Jul 24, 2019
Taylor Clarke pitched six strong innings, Carson Kelly hit a three-run home run and the Arizona Diamondbacks held on to win the rubber match of a three-game series by beating the Baltimore Orioles 5-2 Wednesday in Phoenix.
With a 5-2 lead entering the ninth, Arizona closer Greg Holland walked the first two batters on nine pitches before manager Torey Lovullo pulled him for Yoan Lopez. Lopez, who twice gave up three runs against the Milwaukee Brewers in the previous series, earned his first career save by retiring the next three batters on four pitches.
Clarke (3-3) gave up a pair of solo home runs -- to Anthony Santander in the fourth and Trey Mancini in the sixth -- but got through six innings for the first time in nine starts and for only the third time in his 12 outings.
Clarke, a 26-year-old rookie right-hander, gave up two runs and four hits, striking out a career-high seven and walking none.
Ketel Marte hit a home run in the sixth for a 4-2 lead and added an RBI in the seventh on a bases-loaded walk. He has two hits in six of his last seven games and eight of his past 11.
Baltimore squandered two-out, bases-loaded chances in the seventh off reliever Yoshihisa Hirano and in the eighth off Archie Bradley. Jonathan Villar tapped back to the pitcher to end the seventh, and Chris Davis struck out looking at a curveball an inning later.
Villar was 0-for-15 in the series from the leadoff spot. Davis went 0-for-9 with eight strikeouts in the series.
Baltimore starter John Means (8-6) showed an impressive changeup early, but Arizona was driving up his pitch count and broke through in the fourth.
Adam Jones led off with a single and went to second on a one-out walk by Nick Ahmed. Kelly followed by driving a 3-2 changeup over the left-center field fence, his 12th homer of the season. Means then give up a single and walk to end his day after 3 1/3 innings.
He threw 95 pitches, allowing three runs and six hits. He struck out four, walked three and went to a 3-2 count seven times.
--Field Level Media