Alek Thomas’ bat, glove help D-backs down White Sox

Alek Thomas hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh inning, Ketel Marte homered and six pitchers combined on a three-hitter to lift the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks to a 4-1 win against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday.
In the second game of a three-game set, Arizona secured a series victory while winning for the fifth time in six games. Chicago has lost 11 of 13.
The White Sox brought the tying run to the plate in the eighth but Diamondbacks reliever Juan Morillo induced an inning-ending double-play grounder off the bat of Miguel Vargas.
Shelby Miller pitched a perfect ninth to notch his ninth save.
A three-run seventh proved the difference for the Diamondbacks. Thomas greeted Brandon Eisert by grounding a run-scoring single to right to put Arizona ahead 2-1. Jose Herrera added a sacrifice fly ahead of Geraldo Perdomo’s RBI single.
Marte, who also went deep Monday, connected for a solo homer in the first.
White Sox opener Jordan Leasure surrendered the blast in his lone inning before yielding to fellow right-hander Mike Vasil.
Chicago’s Luis Robert Jr. answered with a solo shot in the second for his eighth home run of the season and second in five games.
Robert alleviated some of the team’s frustration one batter after Arizona right fielder Jake McCarthy jumped over the wall in right to rob Ryan Noda of a homer.
Thomas also starred defensively in center. His sliding catch in the fifth took extra bases from Edgar Quero. After starter Ryne Nelson walked the next two batters, Thomas helped Arizona escape trouble with a running catch of a Mike Tauchman drive to end the inning.
Nelson scattered one run and one hit in five innings with three walks and seven strikeouts.
Vasil (3-3) allowed two runs (one earned) and three hits in 5 1/3 innings with a strikeout. Ryan Thompson (2-2) picked up the win with two-thirds of an inning of scoreless relief.
Arizona third baseman Ildemaro Vargas left the game with a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot after being hit by a pitch. He was replaced by Tim Tawa.
Regular third baseman Eugenio Suarez (right hand contusion) and first baseman Josh Naylor (left shoulder soreness) missed the game with injuries they sustained during Monday’s series opener.