Nootbaar leads D-Backs over Giants in opener, Eldridge leads the way to earn split in doubleheader

Lars Nootbaar hit a pinch grand slam in the seventh inning and Merrill Kelly threw seven shutout innings to help the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Francisco Giants 7-1 on Saturday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.

Kelly (9-12) limited the Giants to two hits in those seven innings. He struck out seven and walked four.

San Francisco's best scoring opportunity came in the fourth. With runners at the corners and one out, Turner Hill hit a grounder to second. Ildemaro Vargas' throw to the plate cut down Bryce Eldridge. Kelly then got Drew Cavanaugh on another grounder.

Making his third start in the majors, left-hander Matt "Tugboat" Wilkinson held the Diamondbacks scoreless on three hits through six innings and retired 11 batters in a row from the second inning through the fifth.

Listed at 6-foot-1, 250 pounds, Wilkinson issued his only two walks to open the seventh. Ryan Walker then replaced Wilkinson (0-2).

After a fielder's choice and a walk, Nootbaar crushed a 2-2 pitch over the right-field wall for a 4-0 lead.

It was the sixth home run of the season for Nootbaar, who homered on the first pitch of Friday night's 10-6 win by the Diamondbacks.

In his major league debut Saturday, Giants lefty Seth Lonsway allowed three runs (two earned) over the final two innings.

The Giants got their run off Taylor Clarke in the bottom of the eighth on Jung Hoo Lee's single that brought home Rafael Devers.

Giants coach Ron Wotus was ejected after the exchange of lineup cards at the plate. Manager Tony Vitello and pitcher Logan Webb were ejected Friday night.

Game 2

Bryce Eldridge had four hits and drove in four runs and the San Francisco Giants beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-2 on Saturday night to split a doubleheader.

Arizona (73-65) is tied with the San Diego Padres for the NL's third wild-card spot.

The Giants called up Yunior Marte from Double-A Richmond to make his debut in the majors as the starter in the second game. The right-hander allowed one run on three hits in 4-2/3 innings with three strikeouts and two walks.

The run Marte allowed came on Nootbaar's bloop double off the glove of left fielder Grant McCray to bring home Ildemaro Vargas with two outs in the third inning.

That made it 1-1 and it stayed that way until the fifth. With runners at second and third with one out, Gerardo Carrillo replaced starter Mitch Bratt (1-3).

Carrillo walked pinch-hitter Drew Gilbert before Rafael Devers singled home a run to give the Giants the lead. Eldridge followed with a two-run single to left-center to put San Francisco ahead 4-1.

Eldridge had singled in Jonah Cox in the first inning for the game's first run.

The Giants led 5-2 with two outs in the eighth before Devers and Eldridge each delivered a run-scoring single.

Gilbert wound up walking three times and scoring three runs.

Reiver Sanmartin struck out the only man he faced, Nootbaar, to end the fifth inning. Sanmartin (2-0) got the win.

Arizona's Tim Tawa doubled in the fourth inning to extend his on-base streak to 16 games.

Up next

The Diamondbacks will host the Phillies on Monday. The Giants play a makeup game in Atlanta on Monday.