Astros vs Diamondbacks: D-backs beat Astros 3-2 in 10 innings

PHOENIX: Beer’s RBI single knotted the game in the 10th inning, and Ketel Marte’s game-ending sacrifice fly gave the Diamondbacks a 3-2 victory over the Houston Astros.

Arizona’s game-winning three-run homer by Seth Beer was the talk of the town on opening day. On Wednesday, he saved the day once more in a dangerous scenario.

The game was rife with squandered opportunities for both teams, who were knotted 1-1 after nine innings until each scratched across runs in the tenth.

The Diamondbacks won the game, falling behind in the top of the 10th inning but rallying to score two runs off Houston closer Ryan Pressly (0-1).

“If the ball leaves the yard, that’s great,” Beer said. “But in that situation, if you’re muscling up against a guy like Pressly, that’s when you get in trouble. So you just stick to your approach and try to find a barrel.”

With his opening-day exploits, Beer, a rookie with an easy-to-remember last name, became an instant crowd favourite at Chase Field.

Despite leaving 14 runners on base, he helped the D-backs stop a four-game losing streak. The two-game series was shared evenly between the two sides.

“There’s two or three punches we’ve got to throw at one time and we’ve got to land them all before we start putting up crooked numbers,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “I think we’re delivering some body blows, we’re getting runners on base, and eventually someone’s going to slug at the right time.”

Sergio Alcantara of Arizona started the 10th inning at second base, and Jake McCarthy’s sacrifice bunt advanced him to third. Beer tied the game at 2 with a quick single through the drawn-in infield that snuck past Houston second baseman Jose Altuve. To load the bases, Geraldo Perdomo and Cooper Hummel both walked off Pressly.

Chas McCormick dropped Marte’s deep flyball to left, but it didn’t matter because a tagging Beer would have easily beaten the throw.

The Astros appeared to have a chance to win in the 10th inning.

Jeremy Pea was the initial runner, and Jason Castro walked before both runners advanced thanks to a passed ball by Arizona’s Jose Herrera. Alex Bregman’s sacrifice fly drove in Pea for a 2-1 lead. Michael Brantley was purposely walked.

Merrill Kelly began for the Diamondbacks and pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out six batters while allowing three hits and two walks. He didn’t get a lot of run assistance, which has been a problem for the D-backs so far this season. Oliver Perez (1-1) recorded the final out of the tenth inning.

With the bases loaded in the second, Arizona took a 1-0 lead when Ketel Marte was hit by a pitch on his right foot, driving Pavin Smith home. Although plate umpire Jim Reynolds did not see the ball hit Marte, a D-backs challenge determined that it did.

Martin Maldonado’s sacrifice fly knotted the game in the seventh inning, bringing McCormick home.

Framber Valdez, the Houston starter, struggled with command, needing 76 pitches to get through three innings. Despite giving up two hits and five walks, he only allowed one run. The pitchers for Houston walked nine batters and struck out three.

The Astros’ first week hasn’t deterred Altuve.

“We’ve won four out of six,” Altuve said. “That’s a good start for us. We’re going to keep playing game by game and hopefully keep winning.”

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