ATLANTA (AP) — The Arizona Diamondbacks made the most of timely hits for another win over the Atlanta Braves when they couldn’t repeat their 16-run performance of the night before.
Ryne Nelson allowed only three hits in seven innings, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. gave Arizona the lead with a two-run double and the Diamondbacks beat Atlanta 5-3 on Wednesday night, handing the Braves their fourth consecutive loss.
The Diamondbacks scored all five runs with two outs.
“It was a totally different game,” said Arizona manager Torey Lovullo in comparing the game to the wild 16-13 win Tuesday night. “… It was all built around what Ryne Nelson did for us, seven unbelievable innings against a very good offensive team.”
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Nelson (6-5) allowed two runs with five strikeouts in seven innings to continue his trend of strong road starts. Entering the game, Nelson was 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his last seven road starts.
Nelson said his plan was to give the hitters a different look than they saw when he took a 5-2 loss to the Braves.
“The fastball wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be and that kind of forced me to mix it up,” Nelson said.
Braves manager Brian Snitker said Nelson “was on the attack. I thought he was aggressive.”
Kyle Nelson and Kevin Ginkel each pitched a scoreless inning in relief.
Gurriel’s two-run double off Charlie Morton gave Arizona a 3-1 lead in the third. Nick Ahmed drove in two runs with two hits for the Diamondbacks.
The four-game losing streak matches Atlanta’s longest of the season. The Braves also had four-game skids from April 19-23 and May 10-14. After going 21-4 in June, the Braves are 7-6 in July.
Marcell Ozuna’s two-out homer in the second was the only hit allowed by Ryne Nelson until Michael Harris II tripled to fight field with one out in the sixth. Harris was stranded.
Austin Riley, who had two homers and a career-high seven RBIs on Tuesday night, cut Arizona’s lead to 4-2 with his 19th homer, a shot to left field, to lead off the seventh.
The NL East-leading Braves remained 9 1/2 games ahead of second-place Philadelphia.
Morton (10-7) allowed four runs on four hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings, ending his streak of wins in five consecutive starts. The right-hander had been 3-0 in July, allowing one run in his first three starts.
Ginkel gave up a leadoff double to Ronald Acuña Jr. in the ninth before Acuña advanced to third on a fly ball by Ozzie Albies. With two outs, there was a delay as Ginkel walked with the ball toward third base, forcing Acuña to return to the bag after taking a big lead.
Lovullo didn’t want Ginkel being distracted by Acuña.
“We’ll get that tightened up,” Lovullo said. “Acuña was doing everything he was supposed to do. Kevin shouldn’t have paid any attention to that.”
Ginkel walked Matt Olson before throwing a wild pitch to Sean Murphy, allowing Acuña to score and Olson to advance to third. Ginkel wrapped up his second save of the series and the season on Murphy’s groundout.
Lovullo wouldn’t proclaim Ginkel to be his new closer.
“I’m not going to give anybody that title,” Lovullo said. “I’m just going to match up the best I can.”
Losses in the first two games assured the Braves of their second consecutive series loss following 11 straight series wins.
“It’s going to happen,” Snitker said. “You just didn’t know when. You knew it was. … They’ll be fine and then they’ll reel off something on the back end of it.”
Diamondbacks: RHP Zach Davies was placed on the 15-day injured list with lower back inflammation. He reported feeling discomfort after allowing nine runs in 3 2/3 innings in Tuesday night’s 16-13 win. He was sent back to Arizona and has an MRI scheduled for Thursday. LHP Joe Mantiply was recalled from Triple-A Reno. Lovullo said there is a “strong possibility” the team will have a bullpen game this week due to the depleted rotation.
Braves: LHP Max Fried (strained left forearm) is scheduled to throw five innings for Triple-A Gwinnett on Thursday. Snitker wouldn’t speculate this could be the final minor league rehab start needed by Fried, who has been out since May 6. … OF Sam Hilliard was placed on the 10-day injured list with a bruised right heel. RHP Seth Elledge was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett. … LF Eddie Rosario (right hamstring tightness) was 0-for-2 in his return to the starting lineup after missing two games. … Albies remained in the game after falling on his left wrist in an unsuccessful attempt to field Ahmed’s run-scoring infield single in the eighth.
A pair of All-Star right-handers with 11 wins will start in Thursday’s final game of the series. Atlanta’s Spencer Strider (11-3, 3.66) will face Zac Gallen (11-4, 3.14).
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