Ildemaro Vargas hit a go-ahead two-run triple in a four-run seventh inning, Corbin Carroll had two extra-base hits and an RBI, and the host Arizona Diamondbacks overcame a three-run deficit for a 5-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday in Phoenix.
Vargas and Tim Tawa had two hits apiece, and six relievers combined to throw six scoreless innings in the D-backs’ 39th comeback victory. They have won three of their last four.
Tawa singled to lead off the seventh against Andrew Abbott (6-9). Jordan Lawlar also singled, and James McCann drew a four-pitch walk to knock out Abbott, who had given up one run in six innings.
Pinch hitter Lars Nootbaar hit a slow groundout to pitcher Luis Mey that brought in Tawa, and Vargas followed with a hard grounder past second base against a drawn-in infield that rolled to the wall in right-center to drive in two.
Carroll’s sacrifice fly scored Vargas to make it 5-3.
Sal Stewart and Dane Myers had two hits each for the Reds, who have lost four of their last six.
Kevin Ginkel entered with two outs and a runner on first in the ninth and pitched around a fielding error by Vargas to get Tyler Stephenson looking for his second save of the season.
Jonathan Loiaisiga (5-3), the third Arizona reliever, pitched a scoreless seventh for the win.
Stewart increased his major league-leading RBI total to 98 with a run-scoring single in a three-run third off Arizona starter Mitch Bratt. Eugenio Suarez capped the rally with a two-run single for a 3-0 lead. Elly De La Cruz doubled to open the inning and scored on Stewart’s opposite-field hit to right. Dane Myers doubled to right before Suarez’s single.
Abbott gave up seven hits and four runs in six-plus innings. He had six strikeouts and two walks.
The D-backs (69-62) kept pace with the Philadelphia Phillies (73-58) and San Diego Padres (71-62) in the race for the final two National League wild-card spots. All three clubs won Sunday.
Bratt gave up five hits and three runs in three innings, with three walks and three strikeouts.
Carroll tripled off the center-field fence with one out in the sixth and scored on Gabriel Moreno’s sacrifice fly to make it 3-1. Carroll has 16 triples. No other major leaguer has more than seven.
–Field Level Media
