Arizona Diamondbacks vs San Francisco Giants Box Score on Sep 15, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Sep 16, 2017

SAN FRANCISCO -- A.J. Pollock stroked a go-ahead, two-run double in the seventh inning Friday night, allowing the Arizona Diamondbacks to rally past the San Francisco Giants 3-2 in the opener of a three-game series.

Left-hander Robbie Ray ran his personal winning streak to five games with 10 strikeouts in seven innings, helping the Diamondbacks (86-62) retain a five-game lead over the Colorado Rockies in the National League wild-card race.

Arizona won its eighth straight on the road despite playing without hot-hitting J.D. Martinez, who was a late scratch with a stiff neck.

Ray won a pitchers' duel with Giants right-hander Jeff Samardzija, who had retired 14 in a row and led 2-1 before the Diamondbacks strung together three consecutive hits to turn things in their favor in the seventh.

Pollock's double, a soft liner just on the fair side of third base and into the Giants' bullpen, scored Daniel Descalso and Ketel Marte, both of whom had reached Samardzija for one-out singles.

Ray (14-5) limited the Giants to six hits. He allowed single runs in the first and sixth innings, the second of which was unearned because of his own error. He did not walk a batter in his 101-pitch effort.

Ray's fourth of 10 strikeouts in the game gave him 200 for a second consecutive season.

Right-handers Archie Bradley and Fernando Rodney threw 1-2-3 innings of relief to close out the win, with Rodney recording his 37th save.

The Giants took a 2-1 lead in the sixth after singles by Samardzija and Joe Panik sandwiched a fly out.

Hunter Pence then grounded to Paul Goldschmidt behind first base and beat Ray in a race to the base for an infield single.

Pence's helmet and Ray's glove collided just past the base, with the ball squirting away from the pitcher, allowing Samardzija to score the go-ahead run.

Samardzija (9-14) left for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the eighth, having allowed three runs on six hits in his eight innings. He struck out seven and, like Ray, did not issue a walk.

Descalso had two hits for the Diamondbacks, who won for the 19th time in their last 24 games and improved to 41-27 against the NL West in the process.

Panik and Pence had two hits apiece for the Giants, who have lost eight of their last 11 games.

Both teams finished with six hits.

The Giants scored first when Panik and Pence stroked consecutive one-out doubles in the first.

Two batters into the home half of the frame, the Diamondbacks tied the score against Samardzija, with Descalso lacing a triple off right fielder Pence's glove, scoring Paul Goldschmidt, who had singled.

NOTES: Diamondbacks RF J.D. Martinez (stiff neck) had played in Arizona's previous 10 games, hitting nine home runs. ... The Diamondbacks' franchise record for consecutive road wins is nine, set in 2002. ... Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (206) and RHP Zack Greinke (200) are the first pair of Arizona pitchers strike out 200 or more in the same season since LHP Randy Johnson and RHP Curt Schilling in 2002. ... Giants RF Hunter Pence, who was involved in a collision with Ray at first base in the sixth inning, left the game in the eighth. There was no immediate report on any injury or the seriousness of his condition. ... Giants manager Bruce Bochy disclosed before the game that the organization has yet to decide what to do with INF Engelb Vielma, acquired off waivers on Thursday from the Minnesota Twins. The Giants cleared a spot on the 40-man roster for Vielma by transferring 1B/OF Michael Morse to the 60-day disabled list.