D-backs overcome two blown saves, rain delay to take series over Pirates

PITTSBURGH (AP) — More than six hours after the first pitch, the Arizona Diamondbacks finally put away Pittsburgh.

Chris Owings singled home the go-ahead run in the 14th inning and the Diamondbacks outlasted the Pirates 6-5 on Wednesday in a game that took in excess of 4 1/2 hours to play — plus a 93-minute rain delay.

Paul Goldschmidt and Nick Ahmed homered for the Diamondbacks, who squandered leads in the ninth and 11th before hanging on at last.

“I think the team does a good job of letting that stuff go,” Owings said about the blown saves. “It’s a long season.”

Ahmed hit a solo shot in the 11th but Jordy Mercer tied the score in the bottom half with a home run of his own off J.J. Hoover as steady showers began to fall. The game was delayed after the 11th inning for 1 hour, 33 minutes.

David Peralta singled off Jhan Marinez (0-3), the last man in the Pirates’ bullpen, to start the 14th and advanced to second on Goldschmidt’s groundout. Jake Lamb was intentionally walked, and Peralta scored when Owings singled to right field.

The Pirates nearly won in the ninth, when they loaded the bases with no outs against closer Fernando Rodney without getting a hit. Francisco Cervelli and Andrew McCutchen walked before Gift Ngoepe reached on Goldschmidt’s error at first base, but Mercer grounded into a run-scoring double play.

Owings came through on that one as well: He snagged Mercer’s shot up the middle, stepped on second and threw to first.

“He made a great play,” Mercer said. “You’re trying to get something in — not that way.”

T.J. McFarland (3-0) pitched three hitless innings for the win, including a perfect 14th to secure the victory in a game that lasted 4 hours, 40 minutes.

“It was essentially like a day-night doubleheader out there,” he said. “We showed a lot of heart. Relentless and resilient.”

Goldschmidt homered off reliever Daniel Hudson leading off the sixth. Lamb then doubled and came home on Chris Iannetta’s RBI groundout.

Arizona started the scoring in the third thanks to some unforced errors by the Pirates. Chad Kuhl issued walks to Gregor Blanco and Goldschmidt before Lamb drove a ball to shallow right-center, where McCutchen made a diving attempt. But he missed, letting the ball roll all the way to the wall as two runs scored.

Diamondbacks starter Zack Godley gave up three runs over six innings, raising his ERA from 1.99 to 2.39.

Kuhl allowed two runs and three hits in five innings.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: RHP Jameson Taillon will make his second rehab start Friday with Triple-A Indianapolis as he returns from surgery to treat testicular cancer. Relief pitchers Josh Lindblom (left oblique discomfort) and Antonio Bastardo (left quad strain) were scheduled to make rehab appearances with Indianapolis on Wednesday night.

Diamondbacks: RHP Taijuan Walker threw a 60-pitch simulated game and might be ready to rejoin the rotation, but Randall Delgado will make at least one more spot start before Walker goes for Arizona again. Delgado will start Saturday in Miami. Arizona manager Torey Lovullo has not yet announced a starter for Sunday.

UP NEXT

Pirates: After an off day, RHP Gerrit Cole (2-5, 3.65 ERA) starts Friday night in the opener of a three-game series at the New York Mets. The Pirates just completed a stretch of 33 games in 34 days. They went 15-18 during that span.

Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Greinke (6-3, 3.24) pitches Thursday night in the opener of a four-game set at Miami. Greinke has 89 strikeouts this season, tied with teammate Robbie Ray for third in the National League.