Inside the Box: Upton walk-off avoids the sweep

After every Arizona Diamondbacks game we’ll examine the
box score and provide you with instant analysis. So it’s
time to go Inside the Box for June 14, 2011: Diamondbacks 3, Giants 2

The Good:

Ian Kennedy had a great start for the D-backs. He frustrated the Giants, only allowing four hits and no earned runs in his stretched eight innings. He threw 114 pitches, the same as Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong, but Vogelsong only made it six innings and gave up two earned runs.

Justin Upton’s walk-off blast in the bottom of the tenth inning was a sight for a D-backs’ fan sore eyes. That hit snapped a five-game losing streak to the Giants and saved the D-backs from being swept by the Giants.

The Bad:

The game was wrapped up in the ninth for closer J.J. Putz, but he still managed to blow the save. The inning didn’t start well when catcher Miguel Montero dropped a tipped foul ball from Pablo Sandoval, which would have given the D-backs their first out. The Giants put together a couple hits and brought Sandoval in to tie the game.

Putz has blown three of his last five save opportunities after starting the season saving 16 of his 16 opportunities.

The Funky:

When Chris Young hit his two-run homer in the fourth, the D-backs had their first lead in this series with the Giants. It took 22 innings for the D-backs to get a lead.

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