By DANIEL DULLUM
Sports Radio Service
Monday, September 7, 2015

PHOENIX, Arizona – After a two-month stint on the disabled list with a fractured left thumb, Arizona catcher Phil Gosselin was waiting for a moment like the one he enjoyed Monday afternoon against the fading San Francisco Giants.

Gosselin belted a three-run home run that sparked the Diamondbacks’ 6-1 win over the Giants, something, he felt, went a long way to prove himself to his new ball club.

“It’s fun,” said Gosselin, who was acquired from the Atlanta Braves on July 23 and left the DL on Aug. 30. “When you miss that much time at the Major League level, you never know what will happen when you come back. I feel healthy, I feel good. But you want to do well with a new team and show these guys that you can play. At the same time, you don’t want to put too much pressure on yourself.

“I just go out and play, have some fun, and let the results happen,” he added. “Before the offseason, we all want to make a good impression and for me, really, it’s my first impression.”

The loss didn’t help San Francisco’s dim chances of staying in the playoff hunt. The Giants trail the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers by eight games, and they’re nine games behind the Chicago Cubs for a Wild Card slot.

The Giants – 2-8 in their last 10 games – had 10 hits, but stranded nine baserunners.

“We just couldn’t do anything offensively,” Giants Manager Bruce Bochy said. “We had our chances, but we have to get some guys to come through and deliver.”

Winning pitcher Patrick Corbin (5-3) threw six innings of shutout ball, with five strikeouts no walks and six hits. Corbin also had an RBI single in the fourth inning.

“I was just locating my fastball. Early on, they made me throw a lot of pitches and when they had a couple of guys on, I had to bear down a little bit,” Corbin said. “It was good to get out of those jams, and getting those three runs early helped.”

Corbin, who missed a year-and-a-half recovering from Tommy John surgery in March 2014, said he’s making consistent progress in his comeback.

“Right now, I’m just trying to maintain and make sure my arm feels good,” he said.

Asked what Corbin did to handcuff the Giants, Bochy said, “(Corbin) has been throwing well in his last couple of starts. He had a good breaking ball, good fastball, good command.”

Former Arizona State star Mike Leake (9-8) took the loss, giving up six earned runs on 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings. Leake struck our five and walked three.

“Mike was really good at times, but made some mistakes,” Bochy said. “The ball carries well in this park. That one breaking ball for the three-run homer, he left up a little bit. I didn’t think it was going out, but he got enough of it. He just missed his spots more than he normally does.”

In the Diamondbacks second inning, David Peralta reached on an infield single, and after Wellington Castillo struck out, David Lamb singed. That set up Gosselin’s second home run of the season, a drive to left-center, just left of the 413-foot sign.

“I was looking for a fastball there, and I was looking for another one, but (Leake) left a slider up there and I just tried to put a good swing on it,” Gosselin said.

The Diamondbacks loaded the bases with one out in the fourth and extended their lead to 4-0. A walk to Lamb, and singles by Gosselin and Nick Ahmed, set the table for Corbin, who delivered a base hit to left, scoring Lamb. A.J. Pollock drove in Gosselin with a sacrifice fly to right.

“I was just trying to keep the inning going,” Corbin said. “With bases loaded and one out, I was just trying to hit the ball in the air and barely got it over the shortstop’s head. It’s a plus anytime I can get on base.”

A.J. Pollock tacked on Arizona’s fifth run with a two-out, solo home run to left, prompting Leake’s exit. George Kontos and Ryan Vogelsong blanked the D-Backs over the final 2 1/3 innings.

The Giants broke through in the top of the eighth when pinch-hitter Joe Panik led off with a double and scored on Buster Posey’s single to right. But Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford both flied out to center to end the threat.

“That was a good at-bat for Joe. He found a way to get a big hit and I’m sure he’s excited about being back up here,” Bochy said of Panik, who just returned from the 15-day disabled list (back inflammation) after a rehab stint at Triple-A Sacramento.

Bochy said veteran righthander Tim Hudson (6-8, 4.69) would start Tuesday’s game. Hudson, 40, was activated from the 15-day DL (right shoulder strain) last week. Vogelsong had been the probable starter.

“Tim’s ready to go, and we thought we’d put him in that slot,” Bochy explained.

Arizona will counter with Chase Anderson (6-5, 4.26). Game time is 6:40 p.m.

GIANT JOTTINGS: Prior to Monday’s game, the Giants purchased the contract of RHP Brett Bochy from Triple-A Sacramento, and RHP Tim Lincecum was moved to the 60-day disabled list. Lincecum is recovering from left hip surgery. … Paid attendance for the Labor Day matinee game at Chase Field was 28,078. … Stats, LLC reports that Giants C Buster Posey has a .457 batting average (37-for-81) with runners in scoring position against Arizona – the highest RISP average against a single opponent in over 40 years. … Shades of Bill Veeck: Celebrity feline and Internet sensation Grumpy Cat participated in the ceremonial first pitch and hosted a meet-and-greet with the fans. Grumpy Cat is a Valley native.