Rubby, ‘pen pitch D-backs past Pirates

PHOENIX — One day after the D-backs and Pirates combined for 28 hits, strong pitching from Arizona starter Rubby De La Rosa and Pittsburgh starter Juan Nicasio was the early story in the D-backs’ 7-1 victory on Saturday at Chase Field.

De La Rosa gave up a single to first baseman John Jaso and hit the next batter, Andrew McCutchen, to start the game. He recovered quickly, retiring the next five batters in order and 13 of the next 15 after a solo home run by Pirates shortstop Sean Rodriguez with two outs in the second inning.

The D-backs tied the game at 1 in the bottom half of the second on a RBI double by Chris Herrmann off Pirates starter Juan Nicasio. The home team pulled ahead, 2-1, on solo home run by left fielder David Peralta, his second home run in two days, in the third inning.

As for Nicasio, he was charged with two runs on three hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked four in the 101-pitch outing. De La Rosa was replaced by Tyler Clippard after a single by Pirates right fielder Gregory Polanco to start the seventh. De La Rosa finished with six strikeouts.

Daniel Hudson tossed a scoreless eighth, and after the D-backs put the game away with a five-run bottom of the eighth, including Herrmann’s three-run homer off A.J. Schugel, Enrique Burgos tossed a scoreless ninth.

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