Diamondbacks respond loudly vs. Giants, as Lars Nootbaar has best game since trade

Lars Nootbaar finished a triple shy of the cycle on Friday in his most productive performance since joining the Diamondbacks at the trade deadline, as Arizona’s offense awakened to win a shootout with the San Francisco Giants, 10-6.

Nootbaar gave the Diamondbacks an immediate jolt by hammering the first pitch of the game from Giants starter Blade Tidwell 432 feet.

It snapped Arizona’s six-game streak without scoring in the opening three innings of a game and set the tone for the offense after its sleepy performance in Thursday’s 6-1 loss.

The Diamondbacks had scored eight runs over their previous four games, and a combination of slug and execution with runners aboard made the offense run much more smoothly on Friday.

Arizona used two rallies to build sizable leads, one that would be challenged and another that held firm.

The D-backs plated five runs in the third inning with home runs from Corbin Carroll and Tim Tawa. Arizona’s hitters did a much better job punishing hittable pitches in the zone, taking a 6-2 lead. Nolan Arenado’s double down the left-field line caused some contention from the home dugout, as Giants manager Tony Vitello and pitcher Logan Webb were ejected.

Carroll reached 19 home runs with his 419-foot blast to dead-center field. With one more long ball, he would secure the 10th season in MLB history with at least 20 home runs, 15 triples and 20 steals. He would be the only player with two such seasons, as he accomplished the feat in 2025, according to Sarah Langs.

The second rally that ultimately put the game away came in the sixth inning, when the D-backs led only 6-5. They scored three more runs without going deep, two on an Ildemaro Vargas single.

The Diamondbacks (72-64) finished with 12 hits, multiple from Nootbaar, Tawa, Arenado and James McCann.

The San Diego Padres lost their game against the Tampa Bay Rays, so the D-backs moved to a half-game behind their division rivals for the third National League Wild Card spot.

Lars Nootbaar with a performance D-backs hope he can build off of

Nootbaar has the distinction as Arizona’s lone trade deadline acquisition, which was a disappointment for a front office that intended to add more. His start had gone poorly leading up to Friday.

After a 1-for-11 stretch over his previous four games, Nootbaar was hitting .170 since the trade deadline, not quite the lineup boost against right-handed pitching Arizona was hoping for.

With Nootbaar known for his quality at-bats and contact skills, the D-backs continued to trust him in the lead-off spot against a right-hander.

He crushed the first pitch from Tidwell 110 mph off the bat, his second-hardest hit ball with the D-backs at the time.

By the end of the game, Nootbaar hit three of the four hardest-hit balls of the game, including a 100.3 mph double.

Diamondbacks’ bullpen steps up again after Kohl Drake struggles

Diamondbacks starter Kohl Drake fell short of replicating what Jose Cabrera was able to give the club when called up from Triple-A. Cabrera kept the Giants to two runs in 4.1 innings on Thursday, while Drake allowed five runs in four frames.

The Giants scored runs in each of the first four innings of the game, as Bryce Eldridge and Christian Koss took Drake deep.

This was not the most efficient day for most of the Diamondbacks’ bullpen, which could impact Saturday’s plans, but the unit was effective.

Gerardo Carrillo, Jonathan Loaisiga, Brandyn Garcia, Dennis Santana and Juan Morillo pushed through five innings with no earned runs, allowing one hit total.

Carrillo, Garcia, Santana and Morillo each had to throw at least 21 pitches, however.

Doubleheader Saturday

The Diamondbacks are playing a doubleheader on Saturday with no game on Sunday to accommodate the Giants, who have to fly to Atlanta for a makeup game against the Braves on Monday. Without the adjusted schedule, the Giants would have to play on 23 straight days.

The Diamondbacks will start Merrill Kelly in one of the two games, and Mitch Bratt is expected to get recalled and pitch in the other. Arizona’s relievers having to labor through so many pitches on Friday may become a factor.

The first game is at 1:05 MST, and the second starts at 7:05 p.m. MST.

Both games will air on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app.

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