D-backs fall in 10th after Goldy's 4-hit day
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SAN FRANCISCO -- The D-backs entered Wednesday's contest with a 29-0 record when leading after eight innings.
Make it 29-1.
The Giants stunned the D-backs with a 5-4 walk-off victory in 10 innings at AT&T Park to steal the series win.
"It's a tough loss," manager Torey Lovullo said. "We've been in these situations before where we absorb a moment like that, where you don't expect that type of outcome. But we've been resilient enough to come back, and that's what I'll be very anxious to see."
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Brad Boxberger was one out away from closing out the contest in the bottom of the ninth, but pinch-hitter Alen Hanson deposited a game-tying, two-run homer into the right-field arcade seats. Boxberger entered the game with 14 saves and a 2.11 ERA but suffered his second blown save of the year.
That allowed Brandon Crawford to play the hero, as he drove home Andrew McCutchen with a walk-off single against Andrew Chafin. McCutchen reached second on a two-out double after Jarrod Dyson lost the ball in the sun in deep center field. Dyson said he initially saw the ball off the bat, but he lost it as it made its way to the warning track.
"I couldn't see it, so I wasn't able to make a play on it," Dyson said. "It cost us the game, basically."
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The Giants were able to erase a big afternoon from D-backs slugger Paul Goldschmidt, who went 4-for-5 with three doubles and two RBIs. In the fifth inning, Goldschmidt hit a booming go-ahead double to deep center field to score Dyson. In the sixth, he hit another double down the right-field line to plate Dyson and cash in another run.
It marked Goldschmidt's first four-hit game since April 25, 2017. After the latest barrage, Goldschmidt is batting .484 (16-for-33) in nine contests against San Francisco this season. He's also been heating up after an extended slump to begin the campaign, having hit safely in 10 of his past 12 contests, posting a .362 average in that span. But the veteran, whose batting average sits at .233, is tempering expectations about his recent hot streak.
"The at-bats and swings are definitely better," Goldschmidt said. "I don't know if I'd call it a groove. Definitely was a lot better, these last two days especially. … I don't want to act like this is guaranteed to continue. It's been two good games."
Right-hander Clay Buchholz turned in another quality start in his fourth appearance for the D-backs. The veteran gave up a pair of early runs, but he settled down to finish six innings, allowing seven hits and a walk while striking out seven.
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With the looming returns of Shelby Miller and Robbie Ray, Buchholz could be making a push to stay in the rotation and possibly squeeze out someone like Zack Godley, who's been struggling with consistency. Lovullo wouldn't commit to saying Buchholz has cemented his spot on Arizona's staff just yet, but he did give a glowing endorsement after the game.
"I want to be cautious about the things that I say, but he's done a tremendous job," Lovullo said. "He deserves to get the ball in five days, and that's what we'll continue to focus on. When decisions have to be made, we'll weigh out all the consequences and see what the best options are. But Clay has been outstanding for us."
MOMENT THAT MATTERED
The D-backs took advantage of some miscues by the Giants in the third inning to take their first lead of the game. After Giants starter Chris Stratton uncorked a wild pitch to advance Dyson to third and Goldschmidt to second, catcher Nick Hundley couldn't catch a high popup from Daniel Descalso behind the plate. On the next pitch, Descalso laced a two-run double that one-hopped off the wall in the right-field gap, scoring Dyson and Goldschmidt.
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MITEL REPLAYS OF THE DAY
Goldschmidt found himself in the middle of a lot of action on Wednesday. An at-bat after his RBI double in the sixth, Goldschmidt tried to score on a single to right by Jake Lamb, but he was thrown out on a close play at the plate. Pablo Sandoval's relay throw was right on the money, and though Arizona's video team was unhappy with the call, replay officials confirmed that Goldschmidt was out and that Hundley didn't block the plate.
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"I couldn't tell [if I was out or safe]," Goldschmidt said. "I knew it was close, but we didn't have a good view on the review, either. I don't know what views they had, but obviously, I would have liked to have been safe."
In Arizona's half of the 10th, David Peralta smacked a line drive past the right-field foul pole. The only issue was whether it was foul or fair. After a brief video review, the "foul" call on the field was confirmed.
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UP NEXT
The D-backs will spend Thursday's off-day in Colorado before starting a three-game set against the Rockies on Friday. Veteran right-hander Zack Greinke will take the mound at 5:40 p.m. MST in the opener, looking to continue a recent trend of strong starts. He's struck out 31 while walking five over his past five outings, posting a 2.56 ERA in that span. Germán Márquez will start for Colorado.