D-Backs’ bats quiet in solid start for Kelly

Orlando Arcia hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning to decide a duel between pitchers Zach Davies and Merrill Kelly, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-1 Thursday night.

Arizona hitters only struck out once, when Matt Albers got Nick Ahmed looking for the game’s final out.

It’s the first time a major league team has had one strikeout in a game since April and came a night after the Diamondbacks tied a franchise record for a nine-inning game with 19 runs against the Texas Rangers.

Davies (8-2) limited Arizona to a run and five hits over seven innings.

He got a lift with Lorenzo Cain robbed Eduardo Escobar of a home run in the first inning.

Kelly countered with seven strong innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts.

The Brewers scored three runs off Yoan Lopez (1-3) in the eight.

Following Eric Thames’ leadoff double, Keston Hiura singled off Lopez’s glove to put runners on the corners.

Arcia looped a low and outside pitch into center field to drive in the go-ahead run.

A throwing error by catcher Carson Kelly on a double steal allowed Hiura to score from second base, and pinch-hitter Jesus Aguilar’s sacrifice fly made it 4-1.

The Brewers moved two games behind the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs and took over the second wild-card spot with their third straight win.

The Diamondbacks fell 11⁄2 games behind Milwaukee to open a key four-game series for both contending teams.

Ryan Braun hit his 14th home run of the season, a solo shot in the ninth inning, and drove in two.

Cain leaped against the wall in rightcenter near the 413-foot sign, raised his glove over the yellow home run line and pulled Escobar’s drive down as his body crashed into the padding.

Escobar doffed his helmet toward the outfield as he walked back to the dugout.

The Brewers got more good defense from Cain, who ran down Kelly’s line drive in the third inning and flagged down Kelly’s deep fly in the seventh inning.

Arizona hit into three double plays, including an inning-ender in the eighth with runners on first and third.

Jarrod Dyson (hamstring cramp) wasn’t in the Diamondbacks’ lineup but is considered day to day.