PHOENIX (AP) — Reese McGuire’s safety squeeze with the bases loaded brought home Triston Casas, which proved to be the difference as the Boston Red Sox beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1 on Saturday.
Boston has won the first two games of the series and will go for a three-game sweep on Sunday.
Kiké Hernández had an RBI single for the Red Sox in the fourth, and their small-ball strategy later in the inning was unorthodox by today’s standards. Batting ninth in the lineup, McGuire came to the plate with the bases loaded and one out, but instead of trying for a big swing that might break the game open, the catcher dropped a nifty sacrifice bunt down the first-base line.
The only play for Diamondbacks reliever Kyle Nelson was to get McGuire at first, with Casas scoring easily for a 2-1 lead.
Arizona jumped ahead 1-0 in the first on Ketel Marte’s homer down the right-field line. It was his seventh of the season.
Both teams were using a starting pitcher who just came off the injured list. Diamondbacks right-hander Zach Davies (0-1) hadn’t appeared in a big league game since April 8 and looked rusty, lasting just 3 1/3 innings. He gave up two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out three.
Boston’s Garrett Whitlock (2-2) had been out since April 22. The right-hander fared better than his counterpart, allowing one run and two hits over five innings.
The Red Sox bullpen was stellar behind Whitlock, throwing four scoreless innings between Kutter Crawford, Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen, who earned his 11th save this season and No. 402 of his career.
The Diamondbacks had just three hits — one after the first inning.
CRAWFORD’S BIG PLAY
Crawford was taken out of the game after he made a stellar defensive play in the eighth.
D-backs catcher Gabriel Moreno hit a hard grounder back up the middle that hit Crawford’s right ankle and bounced toward the first-base line. Crawford hustled to the ball, picking it up while avoiding Moreno, who was sprinting toward the bag.
Crawford managed to grab the ball and flipped it to Casas at first base for the out.
Crawford was shaken up after the play and after a few warmup pitches, manager Alex Cora decided to bring in Martin. The Red Sox announced Crawford left with a bruised right ankle.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: 3B Rafael Devers (calf) was out of the lineup for a second straight game. … Whitlock was added to the roster from the injured list, and LHP Brennan Bernardino was sent to Triple-A.
Diamondbacks: Davies and RHP Drey Jameson were added to the roster, while RHPs Brandon Pfaadt and Luis Frias were demoted to Triple-A.
UP NEXT
The teams wrap up their three-game set on Sunday. The D-backs send RHP Merrill Kelly (5-3, 2.98 ERA) to the mound against RHP Tanner Houck (3-3, 4.99).
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