The Arizona Diamondbacks rolled to a 8-7 victory over the San Francisco Giants at Scottsdale Stadium on Saturday in spring training action. Jacob Amaya paced the offense, going 2-for-4 with a home run and five RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. Zac Gallen worked 2.2 innings on the mound, allowing 3 earned runs on 7 hits. The Giants out-hit the Diamondbacks 16-11 on the day. The Diamondbacks will take confidence from a well-rounded effort on both sides of the ball. Spring training is about building toward the regular season, and this was a step in the right direction.
Key Performers
Jacob Amaya was the top performer at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a home run and five RBI. His power was on full display throughout the game. The Diamondbacks will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Luken Baker provided support, going 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI, Angel Ortiz also contributed, going 1-for-4 with a home run and an RBI, and Tim Tawa chipped in, going 2-for-3 with a double. Multiple contributors at the plate made life difficult for the opposing pitching staff.
On the other side of the diamond, Rafael Devers led the Giants offense with a 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI day. Daniel Susac also contributed, going 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. Jesus Rodriguez added a 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Diamondbacks pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Zac Gallen got the start, running into trouble, working 2.2 innings while allowing 3 earned runs on 7 hits with one strikeout. He threw 55 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 5.4 innings of work, allowing 4 earned runs while striking out four. The Diamondbacks continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting. Logan Mercado recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Joe Ross stood out with 2.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Giants got on the board first with a run in the second inning. Giants pushed across a run in the third. The Diamondbacks struck back with two runs in the fourth. Giants answered with five runs in the fourth. The Diamondbacks responded with four runs in the sixth. The Diamondbacks pushed across a run in the seventh. The Diamondbacks plated a run in the eighth. The Diamondbacks spread their scoring across four different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. Giants out-hit the Diamondbacks 16-11, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 10,193 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Diamondbacks will look to build on this positive performance as spring training winds down. With the regular season rapidly approaching, outings like this one provide confidence and continuity for a roster that is rounding into form. Every remaining exhibition game is another chance to sharpen the details before the games start counting for real.