Arizona Diamondbacks' defense key in win over Pirates

When the hits and runs aren’t coming, it’s on the pitching staff and defense to keep the game within striking distance.

The bullpen held their own by only allowing four hits and one earned run through 10 innings. However, the defense behind their pitching staff was the final piece of the puzzle in the Diamondback’ 3-2 win, making two key defensive plays in the third and 10th innings.

First, it was Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Geraldo Perdomo combining to prevent Henry Davis from reaching home in the third inning. After Bryan Reynolds hit a ball through the gap in left-center field, Gurriel dove for the ball and spun up to toss it to Perdomo. The young shortstop fired a missile of a throw to Gabriel Moreno to narrowly stop Davis from adding their first run to the scoreboard.

Perdomo said post-game that he assumed that Davis would stop at third base after Gurriel made a nice play in left field. But when he turned, he saw Davis trying to score quickly. At Perdomo’s position, he feels has to have the ability to anticipate anything and that’s what helped him make that crucial out.

“I think that was the key in that play, I just anticipated what was going on,” Perdomo said. “I mean Henry, he’s huge but he can fly. He’s got really good speed, so I just got lucky.”

Holding a 2-1 lead in the top of the tenth with two runners in scoring position and two outs, Pittsburgh looked poised to take a commanding lead if pinch hitter Josh Palacios could capitalize on the moment.

Palacios made nice contact on Scott McGough’s splitter and was sending it up the right field line. However, Christian Walker made the play of the day by diving to stop the ball in its tracks and flipping it up to McGough on first base to end the inning.

“Walk made an awesome play,” McGough said. “That's why I told him when he made the play and flipped it to me, I went over to help him up and he was getting up and I was like, 'Gold Glover baby. Love having you,' So it's sweet to have him there cause you know he's going to make every play possible.”

Walker struggled batting today, going 0-for-4 on the afternoon. Despite that, he wanted to provide positives for his team wherever he could. So at that moment, he was hoping the ball would come his way.

“I want the ball hit in my direction,” Walker said. “I'm craving and I'm expecting it, because I want the opportunity to help my team and help my teammates in any way I possibly can.”

The home run from Alek Thomas and walk-off single from Corbin Carroll may be the moments that fans remember from Chase Field today, but these plays from the defense will be the ones that define it for Diamondbacks manager Tony Lovullo.

“Those are precision plays, those are team plays,” Lovullo said. “Those are practiced consistently. They don't show up a lot, but when you need it, you got it and it resulted in a win.”

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Diamondbacks' defense key in win over Pirates