Patrick Corbin throws 8.2 clean innings as D-backs drop Astros

Patrick Corbin threw 8.2 scoreless innings Thursday, extending his scoreless streak to 16.1 innings over three games and leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 4-0 win over the Houston Astros.

A two-out double by Houston first baseman Yuli Gurriel in the ninth spelled an end to Corbin’s chase of a complete game.

Coming off a scoreless 6.2-inning stint in a 6-2 win over the Chicago Cubs, Corbin threw 105 pitches (71 for strikes) before he was pulled by D-backs manager Torey Lovullo.

“He held a very offensive team in check. He probably should have thrown 10 to 12 less pitches had we played better defense,” Lovullo said on FOX Sports Arizona. “I asked for two reasons and he only needed one, and I heard him loud and clear.

“Sometimes I’ll ask the pitchers why they deserve to go back out for that next inning. I typically ask the guys for two reasons and I wait for two reasons. But his answer was clear to me. I didn’t need any more.”

What did Corbin say to convince Lovullo?

“I said, ‘I’m going to get three outs,'” Corbin told FOX Sports Arizona.

Corbin induced 11 groundouts and four flyouts before reliever Archie Bradley recorded the final out of the game. The lefty Corbin allowed four hits, walked one and struck out seven.

The 28-year-old Corbin has had inconsistent moments this season, going 9-11 and holding a 4.30 ERA heading into Thursday.

“Just started feeling good and just really focusing in on my bullpens and making sure my arm’s ready to go every fifth day. I feel good right now,” Corbin told FOX Sports Arizona.

Arizona gave Corbin more than enough run support.

The D-backs scored via small ball with a RBI single by Jeff Mathis in the top of the third, added a second run on a Daniel Descalso inside-the-park homer — the team’s third this season — in the fourth and gained a 3-0 lead with a Jake Lamb solo shot in the sixth.

Lamb’s strikeout in the eighth came on a wild pitch that allowed David Peralta, back from paternity leave, to score from third, giving Arizona 4-0 lead.

After scoring a combined 18 runs in consecutive wins over Arizona on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Astros’ bats went cold in the final game of the four-game series, which was split between Arizona and Houston.

Astros manager A.J. Hinch vented frustration about the balls and strikes calls from home plate umpire Paul Nauert, focusing heavily on the final strikeout of Marwin Gonzalez. On a full-count pitch that appeared low and outside, Gonzalez struck out looking.

“We could have built an inning after that,” Hinch said. “I’m tired of it. I’m tired of our guys getting taken to task for knowing the strike zone, and that’s not the reason that we lost today. That’s not the reason that we’ve had a tough week but it’s garbage when you start getting at-bats taken away from you.”

TRAINING ROOM

Diamondbacks: RHP Rubby De La Rosa will undergo Tommy John surgery, the second of his career, and could be sidelined until the 2019 season, Lovullo said. De La Rosa first underwent the surgery in 2011 near the end of his rookie season with the Dodgers and missed most of the 2012 and 2013 seasons. … OF David Peralta was reinstated from the paternity leave list.

Astros: Of the nine Astros currently on the disabled list, manager A.J. Hinch guessed that C Evan Gattis (concussion) is “first in line” to make his return, with RP Will Harris (right shoulder) close behind him. Gattis did baseball activities, including hitting on Wednesday and caught a bullpen session on Thursday. Harris threw a bullpen session Wednesday. … RHP Lance McCullers (back) threw a bullpen session Thursday.

 

The Associated Press contributed to this story

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