Diamondbacks unable to solve Stratton in loss to Giants
Aug 27, 2018, 10:24 PM
Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Alex Avila, right, tags out San Francisco Giants' Andrew McCutchen at home plate in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 27, 2018, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
(AP Photo/Ben Margot)
SAN FRANCISCO — Chris Stratton threw a career-high eight innings to outpitch Patrick Corbin, and the San Francisco Giants blanked the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-0 Monday night on a two-run homer by Steven Duggar.
Duggar’s second home run of the season helped the Giants gain ground on the NL West-leading Diamondbacks. San Francisco pulled within seven games of first place and 7½ of the second wild card.
Arizona began the night tied with a one-game lead over Colorado in the NL West.
Stratton and Corbin had nearly identical outings, the difference being Duggar’s homer off Corbin in the second.
Stratton (9-7) struck out six, allowed only two runners past first base and retired the 17 of the final 18 batters he faced to win for the first time since June 17.
The right-hander, who leads the Giants in wins despite two stints in the minors, gave up back-to-back singles to open the game but pitched out of that jam. Stratton also gave up a two-out triple to Jon Jay in the fifth but got Eduardo Escobar to fly out.
Tony Watson retired two batters for San Francisco. Hunter Strickland got Nick Ahmed to fly out for his 14th save, completing the five-hitter.
It was the Giants’ 11th shutout this season.
Corbin (10-5) was equally sharp after yielding Duggar’s home run. The Arizona lefty retired the next 10 batters, then got three consecutive groundouts after allowing a double and a single to start off the sixth.
Corbin had nine strikeouts and one walk in seven innings while absorbing his first loss in six starts against the Giants this season. He gave up four hits.
The Diamondbacks became the fastest team in major league history to reach 25,000 strikeouts as a team, topping the milestone in 3,371 games. The Miami Marlins did it in 3,650 games.
Jay had three hits for Arizona. Paul Goldschmidt walked in the ninth and has reached base safely in 39 consecutive road games, an ongoing club record.
Duggar lined a 3-1 pitch from Corbin over the stands in right field, two batters after Brandon Crawford singled. Duggar’s only other home run this season also came against Arizona on Aug. 4.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Giants: Star catcher Buster Posey underwent successful hip surgery in Vail, Colorado. The six-time All-Star will be sidelined six to eight months.
UP NEXT
RHP Clay Buchholz (7-2, 2.25 ERA) opposes San Francisco LHP Madison Bumgarner (5-5, 2.88) in a marquee pitching matchup Tuesday night. Buchholz is 2-0 and has allowed one run over his past two starts covering 16 innings. Bumgarner has yielded three runs or fewer in 12 of his 15 starts.
