PHOENIX (AP) r12; d moving up the standings.Nick Ahmed homered twice and had four RBIs http://www.philliesfanproshop.com/authentic-robin-roberts-jersey , Steven Souza Jr. drove in three more runs and the Diamondbacks jumped on the San Francisco Giants early for a 9-3 victory on Saturday night.r0;Just momentum, you score first in the game r12; I donr17;t know what the percentages are r12; but you have much higher likelihood to win the game,r1; Ahmed said. r0;We just try to jump out, attack early and have been doing a good job of that lately.r1;Souza hit a two-run triple and Ketel Marte hit a two-run homer off Andrew Suarez (4-7) in Arizonar17;s second-straight five-run first inning against the Giants. Arizona leads the majors with 92 first-inning runs and moved a game ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West after winning for the third time in four games.Ahmed had run-scoring single in the first, a two-run homer in the fifth and a solo shot in the eighth.r0;When I talk about downhill baseball, we eliminate a lot of the noise and go out there and play the game the way we know how,r1; Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said.Steven Duggar hit his first career home run and Andrew McCutchen had a solo shot for the only runs off Clay Buchholz (5-1), who won his fourth straight start. Buchholz struck out Evan Longoria with runners on second and third in the fourth inning, then put the Giants down in order the next two innings.McCutchen had five hits and two RBIs from the leadoff spot.r0;The leadoff hitter gets five hits, a home run, RBI double and you think we are in the game Tug McGraw Jersey , but unfortunately we werenr17;t,r1; Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.The Diamondbacks jumped on starter Chris Stratton for five runs in the first inning of Fridayr17;s win and did the same against Suarez.Souza had a two-run triple and Ahmed followed with a run-scoring single. Marte made it 2-0 with a no-doubt two-run homer to center, his 10th of the season. Marte joins Stephen Drew (three times), Steve Finley (twice) and David Peralta as the only Arizona players with 10 homers and 10 triples in a season.Souza had a run-scoring double that just missed going out in center in the fifth inning. Ahmed followed with a shot to left that did clear the wall for a two-run homer to put Arizona up 8-2.Suarez allowed eight runs on 10 hits in five innings.r0;I fell behind in the count, they took advantage of it,r1; Suarez said. r0;I had some good pitches and they hit them.r1;Buchholz was sharp except for a couple of breaking balls: One that McCutchen hit for a solo homer in the third inning, another Duggar hit for a solo shot in the fourth.Buchholz allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings.AHMEDr17;S RISEAhmed was known mostly for his glove his first four big-league seasons, hitting no more than nine homers and a career-best of 34 RBIs.The 28-year-old shortstop has found his grove at the plate this season with 16 homers and 57 RBIs. His 16 homers are third in Diamondbacks history by a shortstop, behind Stephen Drewr17;s 21 in 2008 and Jay Bellr17;s 18 in 1998.r0;I feel like he was never satisfied with just being a great defender who was going to put the bat on the ball,r1; Lovullo said. r0;He wanted to excel in both areas. He has a really good mindset that he wants to be great. I think that motivates him every day.r1;GIANTS MOVESSan Francisco recalled RHPs Derek Law and Pierce Johnson from Triple-A Sacramento prior to Saturdayr17;s game, and optioned Stratton and infielder Kelby Tomlinson to the River Cats. Stratton struggled against the Diamondbacks on Friday Drew Hutchison Jersey , allowing six runs on 10 hits in three innings of a 6-3 loss.TRAINERr17;S TABLEGiants: C Buster Posey was held out of the lineup under concussion protocol after leaving Fridayr17;s game due to a foul ball off his mask. He worked in the field before Saturdayr17;s game and could play Sunday if he remains symptom free.Diamondbacks: Lovullo returned to the dugout after missing Fridayr17;s game due to an illness.UP NEXTArizona LHP Robbie Ray is 4-1 with a 2.84 ERA in 10 career starts against the Giants heading into Sundayr17;s season finale. Giants starter Derek Holland is 0-1 with a 4.61 ERA in three career starts against the Diamondbacks. ATLANTA (AP) r12; Rookie star Ronald Acuna Jr. was back in the lineup for the Atlanta Braves on Thursday, one day after being plunked in the left arm with a pitch that sparked a national debate about whether itr17;s ever acceptable to throw at a hitter intentionally.Acuna said his elbow felt fine less than 24 hours after he took a 97 mph fastball from Miamir17;s Jose Urena .Major League Baseball doled out a six-game suspension to the Marlins pitcher.In the opener of an important four-game series against the Colorado Rockies, Acuna received a standing ovation from the crowd at SunTrust Park. He playfully patted umpire Pat Hoberg on his way to the plate and started the bottom of the first with a sharp single up the middle.The 20-year-old phenom finished 1 for 4, snapping a streak of five straight games with a homer that tied a franchise record. In his final chance to set a mark all his own, Acuna lined out to right in the eighth. The Rockies rallied for three unearned runs in the ninth to beat the Braves 5-3, shaving Atlantar17;s NL East lead to 1½ games over Philadelphia.As a precaution, Acuna wore a red protective pad on his left arm.r0;Obviously, it was kind of a hard hit,r1; Acuna said through a translator after taking an early session of batting practice at SunTrust Park . r0;But Ir17;m not feeling any pain and I feel good right now.r1;The Braves breathed a big sigh of relief, knowing what a significant injury would have meant to their postseason chances.Acuna tried to stay in the game after being hit by Urenar17;s first pitch Wednesday, but he had to leave in the second inning . X-rays taken shortly afterward were negative Larry Bowa Jersey , and the Braves also ordered a CT scan to make sure their prized rookie was OK. The scan came back normal, and Acuna was cleared to play.With help from multilingual teammate Ender Inciarte, Acuna even crafted a text to Brian Snitker letting the Braves manager know he was ready to go.Snitker, who was ejected the previous night along with Urena for leading a charge from the Atlanta dugout, was clearly relieved.r0;Itr17;s nice to be 20 and strong,r1; the manager said with a smile. r0;Ir17;m as excited as I can be that he gets to go out there and play today.r1;Acuna has lived up to the hype since being called up by the Braves early in the season. In recent days, her17;s been downright unstoppable with homers in five straight games r12; including leadoff shots in three straight games before he was struck by Urenar17;s pitch.The five-game homer streak remained intact under baseball rules because Acuna didnr17;t have an official at-bat in the finale of the series against the Marlins, which was won by the Braves to complete a four-game sweep . In a quirk of baseball scoring, the leadoff streak ended.Now, both streaks are over.Acuna failed in his bid to become the first Braves player in the modern era to homer in six straight games. The major league record is eight in a row, shared by Ken Griffey Jr. (1993) http://www.philliesfanproshop.com/authentic-jim-bunning-jersey , Don Mattingly (1987) and Dale Long (1956). While Urena insisted he was merely trying to pitch inside to set up Acuna for an outside pitch , Snitker was livid about the incident. The manager said he had no doubt about the Miami right-handerr17;s intent: It was intentional.r0;Absolutely,r1; Snitker said. r0;Just watching it, I can tell.r1;Itr17;s long been an unwritten rule in baseball that a hot hitter can expect to be brushed back. Former first baseman Keith Hernandez, now a New York Mets broadcaster, took it a step further by saying the Marlins had every right to bean Acuna under the circumstances .r0;Your17;ve lost three games. Her17;s hit three homers. Your17;ve got to hit him,r1; Hernandez said during the Mets-Orioles game. r0;Ir17;m sorry. People are not going to like that, but your17;ve got to hit him.r1;Snitker scoffed at Hernandezr17;s logic.r0;I donr17;t buy that at all,r1; the Braves manager said. r0;I would not ever begrudge somebody for doing the job theyr17;re trying to do. You donr17;t want him to hit hitters? Pitch better.r1;Joe Torre, MLBr17;s chief disciplinary officer, imposed a suspension that would begin Friday unless Urena appeals. The pitcher would have to push back a scheduled start but could make his return against the Braves; the NL East rivals meet in another four-game series at Miami beginning next Thursday.An appeal would likely push back Urenar17;s next appearance against the Braves to 2019.Torre also handed Braves first base coach Eric Young a one-game suspension for his actions during the melee after both dugouts emptied. Young accepted the punishment and missed Thursdayr17;s game.Colorado manager Bud Black said there will always be a fine line between pitching inside and hitting a batter intentionally.r0;Hitting home runs is part of the game Jim Thome Jersey , right? Hitters are trying to hit the ball hard. Pitchers are trying to do everything they can to keep hitters from hitting,r1; said Black, a former pitcher. r0;A lot of that is disrupting timing, a lot of that is throwing the ball down and away r12; tough to hit a homer down there r12; and some of that is pitching inside aggressively to keep guys from looking out over the plate.r1;Acuna has really flourished since moving into the leadoff spot right after the All-Star break. He raised his average to .287 with 19 homers, 43 RBIs and nine stolen bases, igniting the Braves with his enthusiasm and seemingly boundless energy while making sure never to show up an opponent.r0;I feel her17;s respecting the game,r1; Inciarte said. r0;You donr17;t want to see anybody getting hit for no reason.r1;
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RE: The Arizona Diamondbacks are playing downhill baseball an
