Davies dazzles in 100th career start, guides Brewers to 5-1 victory

PHOENIX — Orlando Arcia hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning to decide a duel between pitchers Zach Davies and Merrill Kelly, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-1 Thursday night.

Arizona hitters only struck out once, when Matt Albers got Nick Ahmed looking for the game’s final out. It’s the first time a major league team has had one strikeout in a game since April and came a night after the Diamondbacks tied a franchise record for a nine-inning game with 19 runs against the Texas Rangers.

Davies (8-2) limited Arizona to a run and five hits over seven innings. He got a lift when Lorenzo Cain robbed Eduardo Escobar of a home run in the first inning. Kelly countered with seven innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts.

The Brewers scored three runs off Yoan Lopez (1-3) in the eight. Following Eric Thames‘ leadoff double, Keston Hiura singled off Lopez’s glove to put runners on the corners. Arcia looped a low and outside pitch into center field to drive in the go-ahead run.

A throwing error by catcher Carson Kelly on a double steal allowed Hiura to score from second base, and pinch-hitter Jesus Aguilar‘s sacrifice fly made it 4-1.

The Brewers moved two games behind the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs and took over the second wild-card spot with their third straight win. The Diamondbacks fell 1 1/2 games behind Milwaukee to open a key four-game series for both contending teams.

Ryan Braun hit his 14th home run of the season, a solo shot in the ninth inning, and drove in two.

Cain leaped against the wall in right-center near the 413-foot sign, raised his glove over the yellow home run line and pulled Escobar’s drive down as his body crashed into the padding. Escobar doffed his helmet toward the outfield as he walked back to the dugout.

The Brewers got more good defense from Cain, who ran down Kelly’s line drive in the third and flagged down Kelly’s deep fly in the seventh.

Arizona hit into three double plays, including an inning-ender in the eighth with runners on first and third.

FLORES BACK IN FOLD

The Diamondbacks reinstated infielder Wilmer Flores from the 10-day injured list before the game. Flores was placed on the injured list May 21 after being hit by a pitch. He was batting .373 with five doubles, two home runs and 12 RBI in 20 games prior to the injury, and .281 in 42 games overall with the Diamondbacks this season. The Diamondbacks optioned infielder Kevin Cron to Triple-A Reno on Wednesday night.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: Pitchers Corey Knebel (right elbow), Brent Suter (left elbow) and Bobby Wahl (right knee) joined their teammates for the game Thursday. All three are on the 60-day injured list. … LHP Gio Gonzalez (left arm) is close to a return from the 10-day injured list and will rejoin the starting rotation, manager Craig Counsell said.

Diamondbacks: OF Jarrod Dyson (hamstring cramp) wasn’t in Thursday’s lineup but is considered day to day. … RHP Jon Duplantier (right shoulder) was scheduled to throw 45 pitches or three innings Thursday at Class A Visalia. … C-OF Blake Swihart (oblique) got four at-bats with Visalia on Wednesday.

UP NEXT

Brewers: RHP Jhoulys Chacin (3-9, 5.18 ERA) hasn’t had a victory in his past 10 starts. He faces Arizona on Friday having not won since April 30.

Diamondbacks: RHP Taylor Clarke (2-3, 6.21 ERA) is expected to come off the 10-day injured list to start. His last start was July 2 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.