Bryce Eldridge matched career highs with four hits and four RBIs, Rafael Devers drove in two runs with a pair of singles, and the San Francisco Giants salvaged a doubleheader split with the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks with a 7-2 victory in the nightcap Saturday night.
Despite the split, which began with a 7-1 win in Saturday’s opener, the Diamondbacks were able to move into a virtual tie with the San Diego Padres, who lost at Tampa Bay, for the National League’s third wild-card spot.
In a duel of rookie pitchers that followed a number-retirement ceremony for Jeff Kent, the Giants and Diamondbacks battled to a 1-1 tie through 4 1/2 innings of Game 2 until San Francisco ended Mitch Bratt’s day with a single by Grant McCray, a walk to Osleivis Basabe and a sacrifice bunt by Christian Koss.
After pinch hitter Drew Gilbert worked a walk from reliever Gerardo Carrillo to load the bases, Devers gave the Giants the lead for good with an RBI single. Eldridge then singled home a pair of runs for a 4-1 advantage.
Bratt (1-3) was charged with three runs on three hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out two.
Making his major league debut after a promotion from Double-A Richmond, Giants right-hander Yunior Marte worked 4 2/3 innings, limiting the Diamondbacks to one run and three hits. He walked two and struck out three.
Reiver Sanmartin (2-0), who relieved Marte with two outs in the fifth with the game tied at 1-1, was credited with the win after facing just one batter, striking out Game 1 hero Lars Nootbaar to lead into the Giants’ uprising.
The clubs traded runs in the seventh, after which Giants relievers Carson Seymour and Dylan Smith slammed the door on the Diamondbacks, sending them to just their third defeat in 13 games against San Francisco in the season series.
Gilbert, who drew his second consecutive walk, scored the Giants’ seventh-inning run. He also walked and scored in a two-run eighth.
Devers and Eldridge drove in the eighth-inning runs.
Basabe scored twice for the Giants, who completed a 4-3 homestand.
Ildemaro Vargas had two hits for the Diamondbacks, who like the Giants will get a rare Sunday off.
