LDN - Sports

Lamb, Diamondbacks pound Brewers

[August 08, 2016] PHOENIX -- A sore thumb caused Arizona third baseman Jake Lamb to miss three of four games at Milwaukee two weeks ago, but there was nothing the Brewers could do about him Sunday.

Lamb had three hits including a tie-breaking two-run homer and Phil Gosselin also homered in a five-run fifth inning in the Diamondbacks' 9-3 victory over the Brewers on Sunday at Chase Field. Arizona had five extra-base hits in the fifth, tying a franchise record.

"Hitting the ball everywhere, every one running the bases well," Lamb said. "That's what this team is capable of, even with some of our guys out of the lineup with injuries. It was good to see it today."

Paul Goldschmidt walked off Jimmy Nelson (6-11) to open the fifth inning in a 3-3 game and Lamb hit the first pitch he saw for his 24th homer.

Rickie Weeks Jr. doubled and scored on Chris Owings' triple, and Gosselin hit his first career pinch-hit homer off Michael Blazek to make it 8-3. Jean Segura doubled later in the inning.

Lamb was 6-for-14 in the three-game series against the Brewers and was 9-for-26 with three homers in the six-qame homestand.

"A lot of it had to do with the thumb," Arizona manager Chip Hale said of Lamb's streak. "His thumb was bruised and it's felt a lot better. Sitting him in the Milwaukee series over there was a good thing for him."

Lamb is a pull left-hander hitter who is shifted accordingly, and the homer was his fourth to the left of dead center field this season.

"Just hitting it where it is pitched," Lamb said. "The ball was middle away, and I was looking heater first pitch. Off him, you can't try to get too big. You just have to take what he gives you."

Lamb singled and scored the final run on Weeks;' single in the sixth.

Owings, Segura, Weeks and Yasmany Tomas had two hits apiece, and Weeks and Lamb scored twice as the Diamondbacks (45-66) won their fifth home series of the season. They are 19-39 at home.

Arizona took two of three in the weekend series.

Leadoff man Jonathan Villar homered, walked twice and scored three times for the Brewers (49-60), who had won eight of 11.

He walked, stole second base and scored in the first and fifth innings, and he homered in the third. His homer gave the Brewers a 2-0 lead, and the run in the fifth tied the game at 3.

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Villar reached base 12 times in 17 plate appearances in the series, with three doubles, three singles, a homer and five walks. The third baseman also had three stolen bases. Villa is tied for the major league lead with 43 stolen bases after Cincinnati's Billy Hamilton stole four Sunday.

"The home run was kind of a 'wow' home run," Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. "Off-speed pitch to the left of center field. It's pretty incredible. It's three days in a row you feel like you are saying that."

Arizona right-hander Daniel Hudson (2-2) retired the only batter he faced after replacing starter Archie Bradley with a runner on base and two outs in the fifth inning for the victory.

Bradley gave up three runs on three hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked three while throwing a career-high 116 pitches.

Milwaukee starter Jimmy Nelson (6-11) gave up seven hits and seven runs (six earned) in 4 1/3 innings. He has lost four consecutive starts while surrendering 16 earned runs in his past 18 innings.

Arizona scored three runs in the fourth inning for a 3-2 lead despite getting only one ball out of the infield, Tomas' leadoff single to center field. Nelson hit two batters and the Brewers committed two throwing errors, one by Nelson.

"Most of the stuff in that game was my fault," Nelson said.

NOTES: Arizona RF David Peralta (right wrist) was placed on the 15-day disabled list after running into the fence while making a leaping catch in the ninth inning Friday. He has made three trips to the DL this season, two with a wrist injury. ... OF Socrates Brito was recalled from Triple-A Reno to take Peralta's roster spot. Brito had been activated from the disabled list and optioned to Reno after recovering from a fractured toe Friday. ... Brewers CF Keon Broxton was the first rookie in franchise history to have a five-hit game Saturday, when he had a double and four singles. He also had a walk and a stolen base. ... Milwaukee 2B Scooter Gennett batted cleanup for the first time in his 409-game major league career. ... Arizona RHP Josh Collmenter was released Sunday after being designated for assignment 10 days.

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