BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Arizona Diamondbacks will attempt to extend their winning streak to five games Saturday afternoon when they face the host Boston Red Sox in the middle contest of a three-game series.
Arizona entered the series having scored the most runs in the majors and showed why during a 12-2 triumph on Friday. The Diamondbacks collected 16 hits in the victory, including a grand slam by Eugenio Suarez that put Arizona in front 9-2 in the seventh inning.
It was the majors-best ninth grand slam hit by Arizona this season and the fifth that Suarez has belted during his 11-year major league career.
“Cutter in the middle of the zone,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “He’s a dead-pull hitter, and he’s gonna look to do damage with something close to him. He got a cutter in the middle, and he didn’t miss it.
“He’s one of these guys that you look at the numbers … average and all that stuff he’s not usually up there, but RBIs — that’s what he does. He got a good pitch to hit and drove it.”
Suarez and Josh Bell each had three hits in the win. Suarez also scored three times and had five RBIs.
Ryne Nelson pitched six innings to earn the win. This came hours after Arizona manager Torey Lovullo announced that Nelson would remain in the rotation and Jordan Montgomery would move to the bullpen.