BOSTON (AP) — Eugenio Suárez hit a grand slam in a three-hit, five-RBI game and Ryne Nelson pitched six strong innings as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Boston Red Sox 12-2 on Friday night.
Suárez’s 19th home run was also the ninth grand slam of the season for the Diamondbacks, who remain atop the NL wild-card standings. Arizona finished the game with 16 hits, with Josh Bell and Geraldo Perdomo each having three hits.
Nelson (9-6) allowed two runs and five hits while allowing seven strikeouts and a walk to help Arizona win its fourth straight, all on the road. At one point, the right-hander struck out eight in a row and escaped a bases-loaded situation in the third inning.
Bryan Bello (11-6) suffered the loss for Boston, which entered the game 3 1/2 games behind for the last AL wild card playoff spot. The right-hander was responsible for five runs and seven hits. He managed three walks and two strikeouts.
Rob Refsnyder, who had just been added to Boston’s starting lineup, hit a solo home run. Wilyer Abreu scored the other run with a double.
Bello settled in after a rocky opening inning in which Arizona’s first four batters scored twice. Bell managed a walk with the bases loaded, while Lourdes Gurriel hit a sacrifice fly that gave Nelson a 2-0 lead before throwing a pitch.
Boston got a run back in the first inning when Jarren Duran opened the inning with a double and scored on Abreu’s double. It remained a one-run game in Arizona’s favor until the sixth inning, when the Diamondbacks chased Bello from the game. The pitcher did his cause no favors by making a throwing error on an infield base hit by Adrian Del Castillo.
The hit-and-error sequence was followed by three consecutive hits that scored runs and helped Arizona pull away. Suárez scored a run with a single, then Luis Guillorme scored another run with a double. Perdomo extended the lead to 5-1 with an RBI single.
Refsnyder’s eighth home run of the season landed over the bullpen in right field, but Boston didn’t get any closer over the final three innings. The Red Sox had their second relief pitcher of the night when Suárez took a 1-0 pitch from Josh Winckowski and sent it into the Green Monster’s seats for his fifth career grand slam.
Arizona scored two more runs in the ninth inning when Perdomo hit a double for his second RBI of the game and Corbin Carroll hit a sacrifice fly.
TRAINING ROOM
Diamondbacks: Manager Torey Lovullo announced before Friday’s game that LHP Jordan Montgomery will pitch out of the bullpen going forward. Montgomery was signed as a free agent by Arizona after the season opener and has a 6.44 ERA in 19 starts this season.
Red Sox: OF Tyler O’Neill was in Friday’s original lineup but was removed from the roster 90 minutes before first pitch because of finger inflammation on his left hand. … LHP James Paxton’s season is over after the Red Sox placed him on the 60-day injured list Friday. The 35-year-old suffered a calf strain that forced him to cancel his Aug. 11 game against Houston. … Boston optioned LHP Joely Rodriguez to the active roster. To make room, RHP Greg Weissert was sent to Triple-A Worcester. … Manager Alex Cora said SS Trevor Story (shoulder) could begin a rehab assignment sometime in the next two weeks. Story has not appeared in an MLB game since undergoing surgery in April. … LHP Rich Hill threw two innings for Worcester on Friday night. The Red Sox had signed Hill to a minor league contract earlier in the week.
Next
Arizona RHP Zac Gallen (9-8, 3.85) is scheduled to start on Saturday against Boston RHP Kutter Crawford (8-10, 4.25).
