Green's first HR lifts Giants, 4-2
SAN FRANCISCO -- Grant Green hit a two-run home run and six relievers combined to shut out the Arizona Diamondbacks on one hit over the final 4 2/3 innings, delivering the San Francisco Giants a 4-2 victory on Saturday.
Brandon Belt and Ruben Tejada drove in runs with extra-base hits as the Giants (56-33) won for the seventh time in their last nine games to assure they will have the best record in the National League at the All-Star break.
Green's homer came after the Diamondbacks scored twice off Giants starter Jake Peavy in the top of the fourth inning on RBI singles by Yasmany Tomas and Brandon Drury to take a 2-1 lead.
The home run, Green's first of the season, came with one out and followed a leadoff single by Brandon Crawford, a pop fly that bounced off third baseman Jake Lamb's shoulder after he lost it in the sun.
Green, a first-year Giant, has recorded one home run in each of his four major-league seasons.
Peavy couldn't finish the fifth inning, but the Giants' bullpen picked him up and pushed San Francisco to 23 games over .500 for the first time this season.
Javier Lopez, George Kontos, Albert Suarez, Josh Osich, Sergio Romo and Santiago Casilla got the final 14 outs, allowing only three baserunners on a hit, a walk and an error.
Kontos (2-1), who got the final out of the fifth inning before pitching a perfect sixth, was credited with the win. Casilla recorded his 21st save despite allowing a one-out double, the only hit off the San Francisco bullpen, to Phil Gosselin in the ninth.
The Giants added an insurance run in the sixth inning on Tejada's double that scored pinch-hitter Gregor Blanco, who walked.
Belt opened the scoring in the third inning with a triple. Angel Pagan, who had singled and stolen second, scored on the play.
Left-hander Robbie Ray (4-8) pitched the first five innings for the Diamondbacks, allowing three runs on six hits. He walked three and struck out seven, the 17th straight game in which he's fanned at least five.
Arizona's runs in the fourth came after Paul Goldschmidt doubled and Lamb singled to lead off the inning.
Peavy allowed two runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out three.
Pagan and Belt each had two hits for the Giants, who improved to 30-15 against NL West competition this season.
Goldschmidt had two hits for the Diamondbacks, who lost a second straight in San Francisco after having won 10 or their previous 11 at AT&T Park.
Both teams finished with eight hits.
NOTES: The Diamondbacks and Giants will play the final game of baseball's first half Sunday, a 5 p.m. PT start on ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball." ... Giants manager Bruce Bochy announced LHP Madison Bumgarner will start the club's first game after the All-Star break, meaning he would pitch consecutive contests. He did that in 2014 as well, winning both games. ... Bochy noted he was upset that the National League already picked a replacement for Bumgarner in the All-Star Game. Technically, the Giants ace remains eligible to pitch Tuesday until he throws his first pitch Sunday. ... Before the game, the Diamondbacks reinstated RHP Daniel Hudson from the bereavement list. A roster spot opened when the club traded RHP Brad Ziegler on Friday night. ... In the wake of the Ziegler trade to Boston, Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said Hudson and RHP Tyler Clippard will share closer opportunities.