Geraldo Perdomo broke a fifth-inning tie with a bases-clearing double, Eduardo Rodriguez pitched seven innings of one-run ball and the Arizona Diamondbacks held on to defeat the San Francisco Giants 5-4 on Monday in Phoenix.
Ketel Marte and Nolan Arenado added home runs for the Diamondbacks, who improved to 7-0 against the Giants this season by taking the opener of a three-game series.
Marte’s homer, his 16th, came on Giants starter Tyler Mahle’s second pitch of the game, a run San Francisco offset in the top of the fifth on a squeeze bunt by Jonah Cox.
Coming off three straight losses at Tampa Bay, Arizona took the lead for good in the last of the fifth.
Arenado walked, Tommy Troy singled with one out and Marte walked, loading the bases. Perdomo then hit reliever Sam Hentges’ fifth pitch to the fence in left field, scoring all three baserunners and putting the Diamondbacks up 4-1.
Mahle (1-8) was charged with four runs on four hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out three.
The hosts tacked on what turned out to be a critical run in the sixth when Arenado lifted his ninth home run of the season against the Giants’ third pitcher, JT Brubaker.
Rodriguez (7-2) recorded his second win over the Giants this season by limiting the guests to five hits. He struck out one and didn’t issue a walk.
San Francisco didn’t go down without a fight. After scoring in the eighth on a Casey Schmitt sacrifice fly to get within 5-2, the Giants got a leadoff homer from Heliot Ramos, his fifth, and one-out RBI single from Drew Cavanaugh in the ninth to trim the deficit to one.
With the potential tying run at first, Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald shut the door on his 19th save by getting Drew Gilbert to foul out and Matt Chapman to pop out.
Marte and Arenado each scored twice for Arizona, which won despite getting out-hit 9-6. Arenado added a single to his homer.
Luis Arraez, Bryce Eldridge and Victor Bericoto had two hits apiece for the Giants, who had won two in a row and were opening a six-game trip. Cavanaugh collected his first career RBI in his third game.
