SF Giants capitalize late to take series from Arizona

Through seven innings Sunday afternoon, the SF Giants threatened to score against the Arizona Diamondbacks but, for multiple reasons, could not bring a run across.

In the eighth inning, the bats finally broke through. They scored twice in that frame to take the lead, and a home run in the ninth added an important insurance run as the Giants beat the Diamondbacks, 3-2, to take the three-game series, two games to one. They won the opener Friday night before falling Saturday.

After seven innings the Giants trailed, 1-0, thanks to a fifth-inning leadoff single and one-out double that Lamonte Wade Jr. bobbled while trying to pick up at the wall. The top of the eighth began with Brandon Crawford singling to right field, and he moved to second base on a passed ball. After a strikeout, Jason Vosler took a full-count walk to put two on base.

Wilmer Flores then drew a free pass to load the bases, causing Arizona to bring in former Giant Reyes Moronta to pitch to Evan Longoria. It was a quick battle, with Longoria winning by pulling the third pitch into left field. Crawford scored easily on the play and Vosler was waved across as well, giving San Francisco a 2-1 lead.

Davis powers up for SF Giants insurance

In the ninth, J.D. Davis - on fire Sunday with four hits in five at-bats, and the only out was roped at the shortstop - homered to right-center to make it 3-1. That extra run proved important when Camilo Doval allowed a leadoff double in the bottom of the ninth and later a sacrifice fly that made it a one-run game again. Doval settled down and earned the save, however, recording a strikeout with the potential tying run on second base to end the game.

Over the first seven innings of the game, the Giants routinely had runners on base and in scoring position but couldn't come through. The closest chances came when Crawford was robbed of a hit on sharp grounder with two on in the first, Davis and Crawford reached to open the sixth before a strikeout and double play and the team loaded the bases with two out in the seventh ending in the Davis lineout.

On the hill, the Giants used an opener and another short reliever before Jakob Junis took over and tossed five and one-third innings with four hits, one walk, the fifth-inning run and seven strikeouts to get it to Doval. The win was the fifth of the season for Junis.