PHOENIX (AP) - David Peralta sparked yet another rally for the Diamondbacks, and Arizona rolled to its latest comeback win.
Peralta hit a go-ahead solo homer in the sixth inning and Arizona got its fifth come-from-behind victory in six games to start the season, beating the Cleveland Indians 11-2 on Saturday night.
Peralta’s second home run of the season pinged off the right field foul pole with one out to give the Diamondbacks a 2-1 lead against starter Trevor Bauer. The Diamondbacks scored four runs in the sixth and six more in the eighth.
Arizona has won four straight games and scored 45 runs over their first six contests, a team record in that span. Arizona has feasted in the middle innings, getting 11 runs in fifth innings and 13 in sixths this season.
“Just the discussions that are happening in between innings and the amount of information that’s being shared is really impressive,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “I like our chances when we’re seeing a guy for the second or third time (through the lineup). It’s been our track record for the first six games, and I feel like these guys are competing on a pretty impressive level night after night.”
Arizona is 5-1 for the first time since 2013.
Zack Greinke (1-0) pitched 6 2/3 solid innings, allowing a run and five hits while striking out six.
“Everything was great. It was a lot of fun,” Greinke said. “I felt like I could throw my pitches where I wanted to. Good defense, good results pitching, just a good game all the way around.”
Bauer (0-1) made his first start of the season and was charged with four runs and seven hits with seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
“I thought he had life on his fastball, good breaking ball. If he throws the ball like that he will be just fine,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. “When they get aggressive and start feeling good, we have seen it two days in a row, they put a hurting on us in a hurry.”
After Peralta’s blast, Paul Goldschmidt doubled and came home on Yasmany Tomas’s two-out triple, Tomas pumping his first as he chugged into third base. Brandon Drury doubled down the left field line off Bryan Shaw to score Tomas, and following an intentional walk, Jeff Mathis singled in Drury.
Chris Herrmann drove in two runs with a pinch-hit single in the eighth. Drury and Tomas had three hits each, and Drury raised his batting average to .526 (10 for 19) on the season.
HAZELBAKER’S WAY
Jeremy Hazelbaker singled in all three of his at-bats to move to 6 for 6 on the season, and with a walk became the first player since Baltimore’s Ramon Hernandez in 2006 to reach base safely in each of his first eight plate appearances of a season.
EDWIN ON THE EDGE
Indians 1B Edwin Encarnacion was close to being ejected after reacting angrily to a swinging strikeout to end the sixth. Encarnacion thought he checked his swing, but umpires ruled it a swing to strand the go-ahead run on third base. Encarnacion threw his bat and helmet down hard, the helmet almost bouncing into home plate umpire Angel Hernandez, who had to get out of the way.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Indians: OF Lonnie Chisenhall, on the 10-day disabled list with a sprained right shoulder, served as DH for Triple-A Columbus on Friday. Francona said he could be activated in time for the Indians’ home opener on Tuesday. … Michael Brantley (shoulder) could get Sunday off, with the Indians facing a left-hander in a day game and Brantley having played the team’s first five games.
Diamondbacks: Reliever Archie Bradley is over his illness and got three days of rest after a long outing on Tuesday. He was available to pitch Saturday. … OF Gregor Blanco (oblique) is on a throwing program but has yet to swing a bat. … Pitchers Jake Barrett (right shoulder) and Rubby De La Rosa (right elbow) threw batting practice on Saturday at the team complex in nearby Scottsdale.
UP NEXT
Indians: Opening day starter Corey Kluber looks for his first win of the season Sunday against the Diamondbacks. He’ll take the mound one day before his 31st birthday.
Diamondbacks: LHP Patrick Corbin (0-1) is set for his second start, and first ever against Cleveland as Arizona looks for a series sweep.
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