PHOENIX — The Giants went into their series finale at Chase Field with a noticeably depleted bullpen.
Last night’s 6-5 win, 10-inning win required manager Bob Melvin to use five relievers: Erik Miller, Spencer Bivens, Randy Rodríguez, Tyler Rogers and Camilo Doval. Doval, in particular, blew a save in the ninth before locking down a win in the 10th, throwing multiple innings for the first time in three years.
With that backdrop, Robbie Ray gave the bullpen the entire night off.
Ray pitched the second complete game of his career as the Giants beat the Arizona Diamondbacks, 7-2, allowing two runs on a pair of solo homers over nine efficient innings.
The only other complete game of Ray’s career, ironically enough, was with the Diamondbacks. On May 30, 2017, Ray threw the lone shutout of his career, striking out 10 batters without walking a single one in a 3-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Ray was aided by an offense that enjoyed one its more well-rounded games in recent months. Rafael Devers drove in three runs, his most in a single game as a Giant. Heliot Ramos totaled two hits and two RBIs. Mike Yastrzemski compiled three hits; Willy Adames did the same with an RBI. Jung Hoo Lee contributed an RBI, while Andrew Knizner had two hits and scored twice.
The Giants took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on Heliot Ramos’ RBI double and Jung Hoo Lee’s sacrifice fly, their first time scoring multiple runs in the first inning in back-to-back games. They doubled that lead to 4-0 in the third inning on Willy Adames’ RBI double and an RBI single from Ramos.
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Ray began his evening by retiring the first 12 batters that he faced in order, but Eugenio Suárez broke up Ray’s early bid at a perfect game with a solo homer over the left-field fence, trimming the Giants’ advantage to 4-1.
San Francisco expanded its lead to 6-1 in the top of the seventh inning when Devers mashed a 104.7 mph grounder that deflected off first baseman Tim Tawa, driving in Adames and Knizner. Devers padded the lead in the ninth with a sacrifice fly to deep left field that missed being a grand slam by a couple feet.
Ray ran into his first real trouble in the bottom of the ninth inning. After allowing a solo homer to Ketel Marte, Gerlado Perdomo drew a nine-pitch walk that taxed Ray’s pitch count and prompted a visit from pitching coach J.P. Martinez.
Following the visit, Ray got Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to fly out, then struck out Suárez looking to end the game.
