Ketel Marte hit a two-run homer and later recorded a tiebreaking RBI single as the Arizona Diamondbacks notched a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night at Phoenix.
Corbin Carroll had two singles while Eugenio Suarez and Tucker Barnhart had run-scoring hits for Arizona, which won for the ninth time in its past 14 games.
Ryan Jeffers hit a three-run homer and Byron Buxton had a solo blast for Minnesota, which lost for just the fifth time in its past 15 contests. Buxton had three of the Twins’ six hits.
Buxton doubled into the left field corner with two outs in the ninth before Jeffers lined out directly to Arizona left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to end the game.
Buxton was the only Minnesota player to reach base against the Arizona bullpen in 2 2/3 innings.
Kevin Ginkel (6-1) retired both batters he faced in the seventh, Ryan Thompson worked a perfect eighth and Paul Sewald pitched the ninth for his 10th save of the season.
Arizona’s decisive run came in the bottom of the seventh after Geraldo Perdomo drew a two-out walk against Jorge Alcala (1-3) and Carroll followed with a single. Marte then hit a bouncer that Minnesota second baseman Willi Castro had to go to his right to field, and Marte beat his throw to first as Perdomo scored the go-ahead run.
Arizona starter Brandon Pfaadt allowed four runs and five hits over 6 1/3 innings. He struck out two and walked two.
Minnesota starter Joe Ryan gave up four runs and six hits over six innings. He fanned five and didn’t issue a walk.
Carroll hit a leadoff single in the bottom of the first inning before Marte followed with his two-run blast to right. It was Marte’s 16th homer of the season.
The Diamondbacks tacked on two runs in the second. Jake McCarthy led off with a single, Suarez followed with an RBI triple to deep center and Barnhart drilled an RBI single to center to make it 4-0.
Minnesota scored when Buxton homered to left-center to lead off the fifth. It was his sixth home run of the season.
Pfaadt walked Carlos Santana with one out in the seventh and Buxton followed with an infield single. Jeffers was up next and drove the first pitch he saw over the wall in left for the three-run shot to tie the score at 4. It was Jeffers’ 13th homer of the season.
–Field Level Media
