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Brandon Drury's bat, Zack Godley's arm lift Arizona Diamondbacks over Milwaukee Brewers

By Mike Tulumello, The Sports Xchange
Arizona Diamondbacks' Daniel Descalso (with arm raised) and the team celebrate. File photo by Art Foxall/UPI
Arizona Diamondbacks' Daniel Descalso (with arm raised) and the team celebrate. File photo by Art Foxall/UPI | License Photo

PHOENIX -- Pulling out hair-raising, come-from-behind wins is nothing new for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

They did it again Saturday night as Brandon Drury hit a two-run homer, allowing the Diamondbacks to eke out a 3-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

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The D-backs (38-26) have 22 comeback wins, tied with the Los Angeles Angels for most in MLB.

"This team can impact the game at any time, any batter, at any moment. And they know it," manager Torey Lovullo said. "We feel we're never out of any ballgame until the final out.

"There's a lot of focus inside of the dugout during the game. They're handing off information. They're looking for that one moment to create a big inning.

"We play for big innings. There's no mystery here. We want to score more than one run per inning. It's been translating."

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The key moment came with the Brewers leading 2-1 and two out in the sixth. That's when Chris Owings singled and then seemed to distract pitcher Junior Guerra at first base.

Guerra got ahead of Drury 0-2 but ended up throwing the ball away on a pickoff attempt, allowing Owings to get to second base. Then Drury worked the count to 3-2 before hitting a two-run homer to left field.

"CO obviously creates a little bit of a disturbance on the bases," Lovullo said. "He (Guerra) lost a little bit of focus. It was the difference in the game."

Drury said, "I know with CO being on the bases, you've got to worry about more things than who's in the box. I definitely think that affected the at bat, for sure."

On the 3-2 pitch, "I kind of thought he was going to come with his split finger. and he did," Drury said. "I just put a good swing on it."

Zack Godley (2-1) allowed two hits and two runs in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one.

Though Godley, who has a 2.44 ERA, continues to impress, he doesn't know when he will take the mound again.

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Godley has already been sent down to the minors once because the D-backs needed arms in the bullpen, and he's one of the few pitchers who have options available. He could be sent down again shortly.

"What they decide to do with me has nothing to do with me," Godley said. "I can't control any of that. All I can do is go out on the mound and pitch and, hopefully, do well enough to stay.

"All I can do is control what I can control, and that's to make pitches."

Hernan Perez hit a two-run homer and Guerra (1-1) allowed three runs and five hits in six innings for Milwaukee (33-30).

"I thought he pitched well," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said of Guerra. "He battled like he always does. He pitched himself out of jams. A solid outing for sure."

Counsell said he thought Guerra was "cruising" until the sudden turn of events in the sixth. "But give Drury credit."

Andrew Chafin got the last out in the seventh inning and Archie Bradley retired the side in order on seven pitches in the eighth.

Closer Fernando Rodney picked up his 16th save.

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The Brewers opened the scoring in the fourth inning when Godley hit Jesus Aguilar with a pitch and Perez followed with a line-drive homer over the left-field wall.

Meanwhile, the D-backs got nothing going early against Guerra.

Paul Goldschmidt walked in the first inning, extending a personal best by reaching base for the 37th straight game at Chase Field, a feat that ties Stephen Drew's 2009 club record. Goldschmidt reached second on a wild pitch but was promptly picked off by catcher Manny Pina (with the help of a successful video challenge by the Brewers).

In the fifth, Arizona's Rey Fuentes hit a sinking line drive to left that the Brewers' Eric Thames misplayed into a triple. Then Godley hit a roller to shortstop that allowed Fuentes, who got a late start from third base, to barely beat the throw to the plate.

Home plate umpire Tripp Gibson called Fuentes out but was overruled after a D-backs' replay challenge, cutting the Brewers' lead to 2-1.

NOTES: Brewers 2B Jonathan Villar was placed on the 10-day disabled list Saturday after suffering a lower back strain Friday night while making a spectacular defensive play. Said manager Craig Counsell: "He's young, he's durable. Hopefully, he'll recover quickly." X-rays were negative. ... To replace Villar, the Brewers called up OF Lewis Brinson, considered the Brewers' top prospect, from Triple-A Colorado Springs. With a crowded upcoming schedule, including a doubleheader Tuesday in St. Louis, "There certainly will be spots for him to play," Counsell said. ... Diamondbacks RHP Taijuan Walker threw a bullpen session Saturday and for the first time took off the bandage that covered his blister during part of the session. Walker will be evaluated further before a decision will be made on when he starts pitching again. ... INF/OF David Descalso started his first straight game in left field in place of the injured Yasmany Tomas. ... RHP Zack Greinke's wife delivered a healthy baby, and Greinke will make his scheduled start Tuesday in Detroit. ... The two hits were the fewest by the Brewers since April 14, 2016, when they had one versus St. Louis.

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