San Francisco Giants centerfielder Luis Matos thanks heaven as he crossed the plate after clouting his first Major League career home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the bottom of the sixth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat Jun 24, 2023 (@SFGiants photo)

Arizona (46-32). 100 040 001. – 6 12. 1

San Francisco (44-33) 201 022 00x. – 7 10 0

Time: 2:39

Attendance: 34,343

Saturday, June 24, 2023

By Lewis Rubman

SAN FRANCISCO–In 1948, it was Spahn and Sain and pray for two days of rain. In 2023 it’s Logan, Webb, Cobb,,DeScalfani, and the bullpen. Until recently, the designated opener was John Brebbia He’s now passed the baton to Ryan Walker, who opened for San Francisco three days ago against San Diego three days ago in the game that capped the Giants’ recent ten game winning streak.

Today, the 12th time this season that San Francisco has used an opener Walker, as was expected, was on the mound for only one frame. What was unexpected is that he surrendered a run and left two men on base when he left. Nonetheless, The Giants defeated the snake bitten nine from Phoenix in a nail biter, 7-6.

Merrill Kelly, Arizona’s starting pitcher, is no opener. Coming to work today, he was 9-3, 2.90 on the year. He had gone seven innings in four of his starts and six or more another seven. By 2023 standards, that Iron Man Joe McGinnity stuff. He lasted five frames this afternoon, throwing 87 pitches, 51 for strikes. He allowed seven runs, five of them earned, on ten hits, including a tie breaking home run, and two walks and a hit batter. He took the loss and now is 9-4, 3.22.

Ketel Marte got things going early for the D-Backs. He took a one out, 1-1 hanging slider deep, bouncing it off the brick wall in right field, 337 feet from home for a home run that put Arizona ahead 1-0 before the Giants had seen even one of Kelly’s offerings.

When they did, the home team turned the tables on their guests. LaMonte Wade, Jr. defied The Curse of the Lead Off Double, smacking one to center. Thairo Estrada followed him, lifting a lazy fly to center, where it clunked off Corbin Carroll’s glove for an error that put men on the corners. Two outs later, Michael Conforto’s two bagger to left scored both runners and put SF ahead, 2-1.

When Arizona came to bat in the second, Keaton Winn, who had thrown five brilliant innings in last Monday’s bullpen game against the Padres, was on the mound for San Francisco. He held Arizona scoreless through the fourth, but small ball drove him from the mound in the fifth, and he was replaced by Sean Manaea.

The men from McCovey Cove tacked on another tally in the third on Joc Pederson’s single to left, a walk to Conforto, and Blake Sabol’s RBI single to left.

Jake McCarthy led off the top of the fifth by beating out a bunt single between the mound and the plate. The D-Backs’ left fielder then stole his 16th base in 19 attempts. Perdomo got another infield single, giving Arizona runners on the corners. Marte’s single to right brought in McCarthy and moved Perdomo to second.

That’s when Sean Manaea entered the fray. He got Carroll to hit a grounder to Crawford, who was late getting to second and second base umpire and crew chief Alan Porter ruled Marte safe. San Francisco challenged the call but to no avail. Carroll’s double to center brought both runners home. Then Manaea retired the side. But the damage was done, and Arizona was ahead, 5-3.

But not for long. Estrada began the Giants’ fifth with a single to left. Pederson’s triple to right drove him in, making it 5-4. After Davis fanned, Conforto drew a walk and Sabol’s sacrifice fly to center tied things up.

Luke Jackson began the visitors’ sixth for the Giants. He gave up a single to Carson Kelly and then left the game with lower back stiffness. His replacement, Taylor Rogers, held Arizona to a bunt single by Perdomo to preserve the tie.

San Francisco leaped ahead in the bottom of the inning on Crawford’s lead off single to center and Matos’s two run blast into the left field bleachers, 354 feet from home. That ended Kelly’s work day. Kyle Nelson relieved him and closed out the inning by fanning Wade and Estrada and getting Pederson on a liner to left.

Tyler Rogers replaced his brother for the seventh and set the Diamondbacks down in order. He continued submarining into the eighth, when he struck. out the side.

José Ruíz set the Giants down in order in the eighth, setting the stage for Camilo Duval attempt his 22nd save in 24 attempts. Perdomo lined out to center. Marte drew a walk. Carroll popped out to Crawford, who had trouble with the. sun and the wind.

Marte took second on defensive indifference. Walker singled to right, Marte stopping at the third. Gurriel hit a soft grounder that just got past Davis, now at first, and drove in Marte. The Giants lead now was down to 7-6. Gurriel took second on a wild pitch to Smith. Then Smith struck out, and Doval got his save, and the Giants pulled within two and a half games of first place.

The two contenders will wrap up their series tomorrow afternoon at 1:05. Ryne Nelson (3-4, 5.31) will pitch for Arizona; Anthony DeScalfani (4-6, 4.38) for San Francisco.