PHOENIX (AP) — Christian Walker hit a three-run homer off a frustrated Carlos Rodon and the Arizona Diamondbacks handed the San Francisco Giants their sixth straight loss, 7-3 Tuesday night.
The Diamondbacks (44-53) won for the fifth time in eight games against the Giants this season after winning just twice in 19 meeetings last year.
San Francisco (48-49), which won 107 games a year ago, fell below .500 for the first time this season. The Giants are 11-22 since reaching their season high of 10 games over .500 on June 18.
Walker’s 23rd homer broke a 2-2 tie in the third against Rodon (8-6), who only gave up three hits in six innings. Two were home runs, though, accounting for five runs. He struck out 10, walked two and hit a batter.
Rodon’s temper took over after he came off the field in the fifth. He kicked a bat in the dugout, which hit shortstop Thairo Estrada in the knee. Teammates, including infielder Wilmer Flores, weren’t happy with Rodon’s display.
Afterward, Rodon called it an “unacceptable” and “selfish” action.
“I just feel stupid — really stupid,” Rodon said.
Estrada stayed in the game and was hit by Luke Weaver’s pitch leading off the sixth. That one got him in his arm guard, at least, and he later scored on Brandon Belt’s double.
Ian Kennedy (4-4) retired all five batters he faced to pick up the victory.
The Diamondbacks scored first when Sergio Alcantara homered with a runner on in the second. The ball barely cleared the left-field wall and the glove of Darin Ruf, hitting a fan in the front row wearing a Giants jersey in the arm. The call was reviewed by the replay crew and was upheld. It was Alcantara’s third homer of the season.
That caused Rodon to slam his glove against the bench.
Flores tied it with a two-run homer, his 14th, a towering blast into the Diamondbacks bullpen in left off starter Tyler Gilbert. It followed Luis Gonzalez’s leadoff single.
Gilbert, who was a Giants fan growing up in Santa Cruz, California, went four innings for Arizona, giving up four hits and two runs. He walked one and struck out two.
Arizona added two runs in the eighth against Yunior Marte when David Peralta pinch hit and tripled down the right-field line, scoring Carson Kelly, who had walked. Ketel Marte followed with an RBI double.
STREAK OVER
Kelly’s career-best hitting streak ended at 13 games. He was 0 for 2, drew a walk and was hit by a pitch and scored two runs. The Arizona catcher, who was batting .115 when the streak began, is now at .218.
LA STELLA RETURNS
Giants second baseman Tommy La Stella was reinstated from the COVID-19 list Tuesday. The veteran, sidelined since July 8, also missed the Giants’ first 33 games after experiencing inflammation in his right Achilles tendon following offseason surgery.
Giants manager Gabe Kapler said, “We need him to play (in the infield) on a regular basis so that we can rotate the DH spot and keep guys healthy. Wilmer Flores has been going out there and playing every single day.”
La Stella has only played in the field in seven games this season and didn’t start Tuesday against Gilbert, a lefty, but Kapler said “he’s ready to play.”
ROUGH TREND
Since the All-Star break, the Giants have allowed 39 runs — 28 of them with two outs, including five on Tuesday.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Arizona placed RHP Keynan Middleton on the 15-day injured list with a strained right ankle. Middleton is 1-2 with a 1.64 ERA in 11 innings. RHP Chris Devenski was recalled from Triple-A Reno to replace Middleton.
UP NEXT
The series concludes Wednesday when the Giants’ Logan Webb (9-3, 2.77 ERA) faces the Diamondbacks’ Zac Gallen (5-2, 3.31).
