Kelly’s homer, Clarke’s pitching lift Arizona
Carson Kelly hit a three-run homer, Taylor Clarke pitched six effective innings and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-2 on Wednesday
The Orioles won their first game at Chase Field since 2007 Tuesday night, beating the Diamondbacks 7-2 to end a six-game losing streak in the desert.
Arizona closed out the series win with Kelly’s homer off John Means (8-6) in the fourth inning, a bounce-back performance by Clarke (3-3) and a little lateinning drama.
Arizona’s Yoshihisa Hirano and Archie Bradley worked out of bases-loaded jams in the seventh and eighth innings.
Greg Holland started the ninth, but was visited by Arizona’s trainer after a walk, then was removed by manager Torey Lovullo following another walk. Yoan Lopez got the final three outs for his first career save.
Ketel Marte also hit a solo homer to become the first Diamondbacks player to hit 10 or more homers from both sides of the plate.
Trey Mancini and Anthony Santander homered for the Orioles.
Clarke had a shaky return from the injured list because of back inflammation, allowing four runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings against Milwaukee on Friday.
The right-hander had the Orioles guessing most of the afternoon, but made a couple of mistakes: Santander homered in the fourth inning and Mancini hit another, his 22nd of the season, in the sixth.
Clarke allowed two runs and five hits and struck out seven in six innings.
Means stranded runners in the second and third innings, quickly running up his pitch count.
He ran into trouble in the fourth inning, when Kelly hit a three-run homer and was pulled after the next two batters reached base.
Means allowed three runs and six hits and threw 95 pitches in 3 1/3 innings. He also legged out an infield single in the third inning for his first career hit.
Up next
Orioles: RHP Tom Eshelman (0-2, 6.91 ERA), Thursday’s starter against the Angels, is seeking his first quality start since joining the rotation at the beginning of the month.
Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Greinke (10-4, 2.93) could be making his final start in an Arizona uniform Friday at Miami.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner is rumored to be on the trading block so the Diamondbacks can shed the $64 million remaining on his contract after this season.