Logan Webb dominant for 7 innings as Giants blank Diamondbacks 5-0
By BEN ROSS
Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Logan Webb retired 19 straight batters on his way to seven smooth innings and the San Francisco Giants beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 Thursday night to open a four-game series.
Webb (2-1) struck out five and induced 13 groundball outs, allowing just two hits and a walk in a game that took only 2 hours, 12 minutes.
“I think today’s a perfect example of the type of team we are,” Webb said. “We’re going to grind out at-bats, we’re going to go till the end, we’re going to play great defense, and that’s what we did.”
Wilmer Flores had a pinch-hit, two-run double in the eighth and Mike Yastrzemski added a two-run single. LaMonte Wade Jr. delivered a sacrifice fly in the third.
Jung Hoo Lee singled twice to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.
San Francisco earned its first shutout of the season, while Arizona was blanked for the first time and fell to 1-6 in series openers.
“That’s probably as good a game as we’ve played all year, all the way around,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “We got some big hits, we got great starting pitching, we got good relief pitching, we played good defense. All of the above. And I think that’s the type of team we’re capable of.”
Diamondbacks starter Ryne Nelson exited after two scoreless innings with a bruised right elbow when he was hit on the pitching arm by an 87 mph line drive off the bat of Yastrzemski. Nelson was able to field the ball and throw out Yastrzemski at first to end the inning, but the right-hander grimaced and held his forearm as he walked to the dugout.
X-rays were negative.
“It’s a little stiff right now,” Nelson said. “It doesn’t feel too great. Got hit right in the sweet spot, right on the elbow. So we’re just going to see how it feels tomorrow in the morning. Give it some rest and we’ll know more tomorrow.”
Nelson was replaced by Logan Allen, who was selected from Triple-A Reno on Wednesday. Allen (0-1) allowed one run and three hits in 4 2/3 innings, striking out three and walking one.
“He was fantastic,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “We were in a position to win the game in the eighth inning with a one-run deficit all because of him. He was unbelievable and without him we would’ve had no chance.”
Patrick Bailey led off the bottom of the third with a double. Following a groundout by Nick Ahmed, Lee reached on an infield single to advance Bailey to third.
Wade sent a flyball to center field, deep enough for Bailey to tag up and score.
Flores batted for Michael Conforto with the bases loaded in the eighth and doubled into the left-field corner to make it 3-0. Yastrzemski singled home two more runs to give San Francisco a cushion.
Tyler Rogers and Ryan Walker finished the three-hitter.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks: C Gabriel Moreno (bruised right thumb) returned to the starting lineup after being a late scratch each of the previous two days. He went 0 for 3.
Giants: RHP Alex Cobb felt mild right shoulder irritation and was scheduled to see a team doctor Thursday night. Cobb threw a bullpen Tuesday in Arizona as he continues to recover from offseason left hip surgery. … RHP Luke Jackson (lower back strain) began a rehab assignment with Class A San Jose, pitching a scoreless inning with one strikeout and one walk.
UP NEXT
Jordan Montgomery is scheduled to make his Diamondbacks debut Friday night. The 31-year-old lefty signed a $25 million, one-year contract on March 29 after winning the World Series with the Texas Rangers last season.
The Giants counter with LHP Blake Snell (0-2, 12.86 ERA), who signed a $62 million, two-year deal on March 19 and is seeking his first win with San Francisco in his third start.
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