© Matt Kartozian | USA Today
For the past two days, the Giants have failed to recover from early-inning deficits against the Arizona Diamondbacks. A fourth-straight quality start from Derek Holland ended that trend, and a late home run from Evan Longoria led the Giants to a much-needed 3-2 win.
In the top of the eighth inning, with the score knotted at 2-2, Longoria stepped up against Archie Bradley, the Diamondbacks’ hard-throwing right-hander. Bradley – who occasionally mixes in a knuckle curve with high-90s four- and two-seam fastballs – was able to retire Buster Posey on eight pitches before Longoria came to bat.
On the seventh pitch of the at-bat, Bradley left a four-seamer high in the strike zone and Longoria capitalized. He turned on the pitch, sending the ball over the notoriously deep center field fence at Chase Field to give the Giants a 3-2 lead.
Holland finished with six strikeouts and two earned runs in 5 1/3 innings of work. He recovered from a second-inning solo home run from Steven Souza and escaped a dangerous fourth inning, only allowing a run.
In the fourth, Holland allowed a leadoff double to Eduardo Escobar and walked Paul Goldschmidt before picking up a fly out from Souza. After Ketel Marte singled to right field to score Escobar, Holland settled back in, striking out Nick Ahmed and forcing a soft grounder to first to exit the inning with a 2-1 deficit.
The Giants got on the board in the second inning after a pair of strikeouts from Alen Hanson and Holland opened the inning. Andrew McCutchen remained red-hot, singling before being driven home by Evan Longoria after a walk to Buster Posey. After Longoria’s single, Nick Hundley walked to load the bases with two outs for Austin Slater. Slater, who singled later in the game, struck out and looked visibly frustrated with himself after leaving three baserunners stranded.
In the top of the sixth, the Giants tied the game at two, as Hundley singled home Longoria after a leadoff double. Then Slater singled and chuckled to himself at first after striking out with the bases loaded in his last at-bat. Slater moved to third after a fielder’s choice and a wild pitch, leaving Gorkys Hernandez with a chance to drive him in and take the lead.
With the ninth pitch of the at-bat and a 3-2 count, Hernandez struck out looking on a called low strike just off the plate, causing him to spin and argue with home plate umpire Gabe Morales. Longoria’s late home run erased the cost of the wasted run-scoring chance.
The win moved the Giants (57-56) back over .500 and 5 games back of the Diamondbacks for first place in the National League West Division.