Jordan Montgomery wins in debut, Diamondbacks get 22 hits in 17
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Jordan Montgomery pitched six strong innings in his season debut, Blaze Alexander hit a grand slam and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Francisco Giants 17-1 on Friday night.
Ahead 2-1, Arizona used a three-run fifth to pull away, stringing together three straight two-out hits against reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell by Christian Walker, Eugenio Suárez and Randal Grichuk. Grichuk’s two-run double to left drove in Walker and Suárez to give the Diamondbacks a 5-1 lead and knock Snell out of the game.
“It was hit after hit after hit,” Alexander said. “It was really, really exciting.”
Montgomery (1-0) threw 78 pitches, giving up one run and four hits with no walks and three strikeouts. He signed a one-year, $25 million deal with the Diamondbacks last month.
“I knew my shapes were fine,” Montgomery said. “My (velocity) was a little down from where it normally is mid-season, but also that should have been my first real game in (spring training). So, I’m just happy to be out there and be able to compete and be with the team.”