Pfaadt pitches 6 effective innings and Alexander gets a key hit as the Diamondbacks beat the A’s 5-1

Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — Brandon Pfaadt pitched six innings of one-run ball and Blaze Alexander hit a two-run single during Arizona’s three-run seventh inning, helping the Diamondbacks beat the Oakland Athletics 5-1 on Sunday.

Alexander, batting for Joc Pederson, drove in Geraldo Perdomo and Corbin Carroll with a bases-loaded grounder into left field off Austin Adams. Carroll was batting .196 with 23 strikeouts in 97 at-bats against left-handers before hitting a one-out double off T.J. McFarland (1-1).

“You find out a lot about guys when you’re in the trench,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “I hear what’s going on. I hear the evaluations. I hear the self-awareness. I hear the support. I hear the coaching between players, the advice, the sharing of knowledge. That’s what stands out most to me about today.

“These guys fought. It wasn’t an easy win. We’re not playing our absolute best baseball. We made some mistakes. But we overcame them, and we won a game that I felt was one of those midseason must-win type of categories.”

Christian Walker followed Alexander’s clutch swing with a single that drove in Ketel Marte for a 4-1 lead.

“Two groundballs,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “That’s the game. If (Alexander’s grounder) is hit directly at us, it’s a double play and still a 1-1 game.”

Joe Mantiply (3-1), Ryan Thompson and Paul Sewald held Oakland hitless over the final three innings

Oakland has lost 12 of its last 13 road games. The A’s went 7-20 in June for their 11th consecutive month with a losing record — longest in franchise history.

Oakland starter Luis Medina pitched six innings of four-hit ball, working out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth. A’s starters posted an 8.31 ERA over their previous seven games prior to Medina’s start.

Zack Gelof hit the 9,000th home run in Oakland history, a tying solo drive in the fifth that grazed the extended glove of right fielder Jake McCarthy before clearing the fence.

The homer came off Pfaadt, who struck out eight and limited Oakland to no hits in nine at-bats with runners in scoring position.

“You look over the last year, the offense has had my back plenty, so it was my turn to step up a little bit and have their back in those situations,” Pfaadt said.

Despite Monday’s day off, Arizona ace Zac Gallen will stay on four days’ rest and pitch Thursday against the Dodgers.

“He was pounding the table to get as many starts as he could before the All-Star break,” Lovullo said of Gallen, who missed one month due to a hamstring strain before pitching six innings Saturday in a win over the Athletics.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks C Gabriel Moreno (left thumb sprain) could be activated as soon as Tuesday. … OF Alek Thomas (left hamstring strain) will play another rehab game Monday for Triple-A Reno with the expectation he could be activated on Tuesday as well.

NEXT UP

Athletics: RHP Mitch Spence (4-4, 4.35 ERA) is scheduled to face Los Angeles Angels RHP Jose Soriano (4-5, 3.48 ERA) on Tuesday in a series opener at the Coliseum.

Diamondbacks: RHP Ryne Nelson (5-6, 5.69 ERA) is scheduled to oppose Los Angeles Dodgers RHP Bobby Miller (1-1, 6.75 ERA) on Tuesday in a series opener at Dodger Stadium.

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