Jake McCarthy’s HR steal preserves Arizona’s win over Atlanta

Eugenio Suarez hit a home run for the second straight night and Brandon Pfaadt pitched six strong innings to help the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 1-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night in Phoenix.

Jake McCarthy robbed Matt Olson of a game-tying home run in the ninth inning to give Arizona the four-game series win. Pfaadt (4-6) allowed three hits and struck out four without issuing a walk.

Kevin Ginkel, Ryan Thompson and Paul Sewald each worked a scoreless inning to complete the five-hit game.

Sewald needed McCarthy’s defensive gem to make his second save in two nights and 13th of the season after squandering three straight save opportunities.

With one out in the ninth inning, Olson reversed course with a long home run to left. McCarthy came back to the wall and jumped to catch the ball and prevent Olson from getting a game-tying home run.

Marcell Ozuna followed with a single to left before Sewald bounced Adam Duvall to third base to end the game.

Ozuna and Austin Riley had two hits apiece for the Braves, who lost their second straight game after a four-game winning streak.

Atlanta’s Max Fried (7-5) allowed one run and five hits in six innings. He struck out seven batters and walked three.

Ketel Marte had two of Arizona’s six hits.

Suarez led off the fifth inning by sending a changeup pass from Fried over the center-field wall to end a scoreless game. The 437-foot shot was his ninth of the season.

The Diamondbacks loaded the bases later in the inning before Fried got out of trouble by retiring Randal Grichuk.

Pfaadt forced a double play by Jarred Kelenic during a scoreless sixth inning that ended his night.

Ginkel entered the seventh inning and gave up a leadoff double to Riley. But Ginkel retired Olson, Ozuna and Duvall in quick succession to thwart the Braves.

Thompson walked Travis d’Arnaud and Kelenic with two outs in the eighth before bouncing Ozzie Albies to first base to end the threat.

The tough pitching duel between Pfaadt and Fried was a far cry from the one they faced on April 6 in Atlanta’s 9-8 victory.

Fried allowed a season-low eight runs (seven earned) and 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings this time around, while Pfaadt allowed five runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.

–Field level media