D-backs Lose Slugfest 7-6

The Arizona Diamondbacks (56-55) lost an old fashioned wild-west shootout to the Pittsburgh Pirates (63-47) 7-6 on Wednesday evening in Pittsburgh.

Both teams struck quickly in the first inning, with Arizona third baseman Chris Johnson leading the charge in the top of the first inning with an RBI single to right field, scoring Stephen Drew, and putting the D-backs up 1-0. Paul Goldschmidt would follow in the next at bat with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Willie Bloomquist from third and extending Arizona’s lead to 2-0.

Pittsburgh would respond quickly in the bottom half of the inning with a three-run homer by Neil Walker, to put the Bucs on top 3-2.

Starling Marte would add another run to the board with a solo homer in the bottom half of the third inning to put Pittsburgh on top 4-2.

The D-backs would brew an offensive strike in the top of the fifth inning when Wille Bloomquist doubled to center field to score Gerardo Parra from second, and cut the lead to 4-3. Drew would score from third on an error by Pittsburgh third baseman Pedro Alvarez in the next at bat to tie the score up at 4-4.

Unfortunately for Arizona, the Bucs would strike back in the bottom half of the inning when Walker doubled to deep center field with the bases loaded to score Travis Snider from third and Andrew McCutchen from second, and put Pittsburgh back on top 6-4.

Pittsburgh shortstop Jordy Mercer would add a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to extend their lead to 7-4.

Arizona would fight back in the top of the seventh with a sacrifice fly by Goldschmidt and an RBI single by Bloomquist would cut the Pittsburgh lead to 7-6. In the end it wouldn’t be enough to come back and Pittsburgh would bring in closer John Hanrahan in the top of the ninth to shut the door.

After four straight victories, Arizona starter Ian Kennedy brought less than his A-game tonight, allowing eight hits, two home runs and five earned runs through four innings pitched. The dagger for Kennedy was his inability to maintain momentum the half inning after his offense drove in some runs. The Arizona offense got him a quick 2-run lead in the top of the first inning, and he gave up three runs in the bottom of the inning. Again in the top of the fifth, his offense collected 2 more runs, and he was able to give up two runs in the bottom of the inning and left with the bases loaded.

Arizona sends lefty Joe Saunders to the mound tomorrow for the finale of the four game series with Pittsburgh.