D-backs escape 5-run hole, dump Pirates
Jake Lamb hit a game-tying, three-run homer in a five-run seventh inning, and Daniel Descalso had a two-run triple in a four-run eighth as the Arizona Diamondbacks overcame a five-run deficit in a 9-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday in Phoenix.
Ketel Marte singled to open the eighth inning off Kyle Crick (0-1), and Chris Owings walked before a series of Pittsburgh blunders aided the rally.
Marte stole third when the Pirates threw behind him on a pitch to the plate, then scored on a wild pitch as Owings took second. Owings went to third on a balk before pinch hitter Jon Jay walked, and both scored on Descalso's triple. Descalso scored on a wild pitch by Dovydas Neverauskas.
Starling Marte had two hits and two RBIs, and rookie Austin Meadows had a two-run double for the Pirates, who lost for the fourth time in five games and are 6-17 since going a season-high nine games over .500 in mid-May.
Paul Goldschmidt extended his hitting streak to seven games as the Diamondbacks won their fourth straight. Descalso had two hits and moved into the team lead with 34 RBIs.
Pirates right-hander Joe Musgrove took a shutout into the seventh inning before Arizona's offense came to life, with Lamb's fourth homer capping the rally.
Owings was hit by a pitch, the third batter hit by Musgrove, and took second on a wild pitch before Nick Ahmed singled to cut Pittsburgh's lead to 5-1. Braden Shipley reached on third baseman David Freese's throwing error, and Descalso singled off reliever Edgar Santana to drive in Ahmed before Lamb homered.
Musgrove gave up five hits and three runs (two earned) in six-plus innings, with six strikeouts in his fourth start of the season. He didn't issue a walk. He opened the year on the disabled list with a strained right shoulder.
Elias Diaz and Jordy Mercer each had two hits for the Pirates. Francisco Cervelli sat out his second consecutive game after leaving the Saturday game when he was struck in the jaw by a foul tip.
Starling Marte doubled with two outs in the first inning and scored when Goldschmidt was unable to handle Freese's ground ball between first and second for an error.
Josh Bell walked and Mercer doubled to start the Pirates' four-run fifth inning off left-hander Patrick Corbin. After a strikeout and an intentional walk to Josh Harrison, Meadows hit an opposite-field double to drive in two, and Marte followed with a two-run single for a 5-0 lead.
Corbin gave up six hits and five runs (four earned) in 5 1/3 innings, with five strikeouts and three walks.
--Field Level Media
