Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Slade Cecconi (43) threw six innings and gave up two runs on two hits against the San Francisco Giants. Cecconi came in as a last minute replacement for a scratched pitcher Merrill Kelly and picked up his first win of the season at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun Apr 21, 2024 (AP News photo)

Sunday, April 21, 2024

Oracle Park

San Francisco, California

Arizona Diamondbacks 5 (11-12)

San Francisco Giants 4 (10-13)

Win: Slade Cecconi (1-0)

Loss: Erik Miller (0-1)

Save: Kevin Ginkel (4)

Time: 2:40

Attendance: 35,922

By Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants were unable to get the series win, as the Diamondbacks beat them 5-3 in a drama-filled series finale to salvage a split the series.

Despite getting absolutely obliterated by the Diamondbacks 17-1 on Friday, the Giants won 5-0 on Thursday, and 7-3 yesterday. Now, Giants looked to win this four-game series against the defending National League Pennant Winners with Aaron Hicks on the mound.

Hicks, who has been off to a great start this season and his reliever-to-starter transition was set to square off against Merrill Kelly. Kelly, like Hicks, has been off to a good start, but he was scratched before the game due to shoulder discomfort. Slade Cecconi made the spot start in place of Kelly.

After both teams went scoreless in the first inning, Hicks hit former Giant Joc Pederson, and Pavin Smith to start the second. Pavin Smith hit a sharp ground ball back to the mound, which Hicks snagged from his left and threw to third base to get Pederson for the first out. Gabriel Moreno walked to load the bases, and Jake McCarthy got Arizona on the board with a sacrifice fly to left. The Diamondbacks were able to strike first without a single hit.

Hicks ran into more trouble in the top of the third after walking Corbin Carroll and Pederson, but he was able to get out of it unscathed. Despite his early troubles, Hicks had yet to give up a hit through three innings. He set down the first two men he faced in the top of the fourth, but Jake McCarthy singled with two outs to give the Diamondbacks their first hit.

Originally, it seemed that the Giants had caught a break in not having to face Kelly, but Cecconi set down the first nine men he faced. Cecconi hit Jung-hoo Lee with a pitch to start the bottom of the fourth, but the Giants were unable to capitalize off it, as Cecconi retired the side in order.

Hicks pitched a 1-2-3 top of the fifth, his first 1-2-3 inning of the day, but he was done. Despite a rocky start, Hicks hung in there and gave up just a run and a hit over five innings.

“Obviously, [it was] not a great start,” said Hicks. “I feel like I didn’t really start making pitches I wanted to make until the fourth and fifth…..at the same time, I just [want to] find a way to keep us in it, and get through five. That was important for me.”

Cecconi took a no-hitter into the bottom of the fifth, where he struck out Matt Chapman looking and got Patrick Bailey to line out to second. Thairo Estrada finally got the Giants’ first hit with an infield single to third, and then Mike Yastrzemski came up and hit a home run that landed on the green metal top of the 24-foot-high Willie Mays Wall in right to put the Giants ahead.

Erik Miller came in for Hicks in the top of the sixth, and ran into trouble, as Joc Pederson doubled to right to start the inning, and Eugenio Suarez reached when shortstop Nick Ahmed bobbled a ground ball. Christian Walker flew out to Lee in right-center to advance the runners. Suarez was nearly thrown out at second, but after he was called safe by Second Base Umpire Dan Merzel, the Giants challenged the play, and the call was upheld.

The Giants brought their infield in for Gabriel Moreno, who hit a ground ball up the middle into center field for a base-hit to put Arizona back ahead. Cecconi then came back out for the bottom of the sixth and threw another 1-2-3 inning.

For Cecconi, that would be the end of his day, and he did exactly what the Diamondbacks needed him to do, as he gave up just two runs and two hits over six innings of work. Sean Hjelle, meanwhile, came in for Miller in the top of the seventh and threw a 1-2-3 inning.

Bryce Jarvis came in for Cecconi in the bottom of the seventh, and the Giants looked to finally be in business. Michael Conforto hit a leadoff single the other way to left, and Bailey walked with one out. After Thairo Estrada grounded out to second, Yastrzemski was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Bob Melvin sent Jorge Soler up to pinch-hit for Nick Ahmed. Soler grounded out to third to end the inning, and the Giants wasted yet another opportunity.

HJelle was back out for the Giants in the top of the eighth, and he pitched a scoreless inning after allowing a leadoff single to Lourdes Gurriel. Ryan Thompson came in for Arizona in the bottom of the eighth, and walked Lee to start the inning. The Giants had another leadoff base-runner, but Lee was thrown out trying to steal second, which was a real buzzkill to any hopes of a rally.

Nick Avila came in for what would be a rather eventful top of the ninth. Gabriel Moreno lined a base-hit to left to start the inning. Jake McCarthy then laid down a bunt to try and sacrifice Moreno to second, and when third-baseman Matt Chapman charged in to field it between the mound and home plate, he tried to nab Moreno at second, but the throw skipped off the glove of the shortstop, Tyler Fitzgerald and ricocheted into left field to put runners at second and third with nobody out.

Kevin Newman then came up, and with a 1-2 count, he appeared to swing and miss at a pitch in the dirt. Home Plate Umpire Stu Scheurwater called it a foul tip, but replays indicated that the ball was swung at and missed.

Unfortunately for Avila and the Giants, the play was unreviewable, and Newman proceeded to line a base-hit to left to knick in Moreno and make it 4-2. Giants Third Base Coach Matt Williams and Bob Melvin were then ejected following Newman’s hit, as both men expressed their angst with Sheurwater.

“When you have [a manager] who truly has your back fully like that, it’s really appreciated [by] the team,” said Yastrzemski. “We’re obviously going to give him the same effort in return, so it’s a good feeling to have. Obviously, it’s tough to finish the game without [Melvin], but sometimes you gotta say what you gotta say.”

Katel Marte then hit a sacrifice fly to left to knock in McCarthy and make it 5-2.

Kevin Ginkel came in to try and close it out in the bottom of the ninth. Matt Chapman doubled to left-center with one out. Bailey grounded out to short, and Estrada doubled in Chapman to make it 5-3. Yastrzemski struck out swinging on a pitch in the dirt to end it.

Cecconi got the win; Erik Miller took the loss; and Ginkel notched down the save.

The Giants fall to 10-13, and they will welcome in the New York Mets to Oracle Park for three games starting Monday night. Starting pitchers for the Mets Jose Quintana (1-1 ERA 3.05) for the Giants Keaton Winn (1-3 ERA 4.09) will make the start, and first pitch will be at 6:45 p.m.

News and Notes:

The Giants acquired Mitch White from the Toronto Blue Jays yesterday, as Alex Cobb was moved to the 60-Day Injured List. White could be activated tomorrow. Cobb will be eligible to come off the IL on May 27, and Melvin hopes to have him back by then.