D-backs come out swinging to take finale

PHOENIX -- Sunday’s game had all the makings of trouble for the D-backs. They were riding a four-game losing streak and, after dropping the first three games of the series against the Giants, they faced Madison Bumgarner in the finale.

So naturally, they came out and scored three first-inning runs and rode that to a 6-1 win at Chase Field.

• Box score

“This was not an easy game for this team,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “We had lost several games in a row -- several of them very frustrating. But on a Sunday afternoon against Madison Bumgarner, they picked themselves up and did a great job. It speaks volumes about their toughness.”

The D-backs remained 4 1/2 games back in the National League Wild Card race after the Cubs' win over the Pirates in Sunday's Little League Classic presented by GEICO.

Arizona avoided falling three games below .500 for the first time since April 13. The .500 mark has been a benchmark of sorts for the D-backs for a while now. They have gotten seven games above it, but that was in early May. Since then, they’ve hovered within a game or two of it.

Merrill Kelly, who has been struggling to find the form he displayed in June, got the start for the D-backs, and he knew going in what was at stake.

“Today was definitely big,” Kelly said. “Everybody in here still believes that we can make a run at this thing, that we can still do something. Obviously, losing four in a row, I’d be lying if there wasn’t a little extra incentive on today’s game.”

Bumgarner (8-8) retired the first two batters on four pitches before Eduardo Escobar doubled and Christian Walker walked. Adam Jones followed with a sinking liner to center that Kevin Pillar made a diving attempt on, only to see the ball go under his glove and roll to the wall, allowing two runs to score.

Jones scored on a single by Josh Rojas, and the D-backs led, 3-0.

That was enough for Kelly (9-12), who allowed one run on six hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings.

The first couple of innings have been a trouble spot for Kelly during his recent struggles, but he held the Giants scoreless through the first five frames.

“It’s definitely something that I’m conscious of, that I’m trying to improve, trying to just get in that rhythm a little bit quicker,” Kelly said. “Not necessarily have something in the game force me into that rhythm. Something going wrong, and then I’m pissed and, OK, now I get locked in. So I’m trying to make a conscious effort of trying to just attack right away and just get in that rhythm as quickly as I can.”

Arguably the play of the game came in the sixth when the Giants had the bases loaded and Brandon Crawford facing Andrew Chafin.

Crawford hit a chopper to the right side just out of the reach of first baseman Jake Lamb. Second baseman Wilmer Flores grabbed the ball just on the outfield grass and fired a strike to Chafin, who was covering first to just nab Crawford.

“It’s one of the hardest throws from second base when the pitcher is covering the bag,” Flores said. “But I had to make sure I made a strong throw right at him. It’s tough for him running and trying to catch the ball. We got the out and that’s what we needed. His job is to get to the bag and he did a good job of getting there early.”

Now that they’re past it, the schedule becomes a little more favorable to the D-backs as they welcome the last-place Rockies on Monday night for a three-game series.