PHOENIX — Carson Kelly hit a tying three-run homer in a five-run seventh inning, Daulton Varsho followed with a go-ahead double and the last-place Arizona Diamondbacks beat the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves 6-4 on Thursday.
Seeking its fourth straight division title, Atlanta saw its lead cut to 2 1/2 games over Philadelphia, which played Pittsburgh later Thursday. The Braves had won four straight games.
“You have go have a short memory,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “We came in here to win the series and we did that.”
Arizona, which began the day tied with Baltimore for the major leagues’ worst record at 48-104, announced before the game that Arizona manager Torey Lovullo was given a one-year contract extension through 2022.
“In a game we were getting pushed around my their starting pitcher, we withstood the strain,” Lovullo said. “They fight. They unite. They stay focused.”
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Austin Riley homered for the third straight game as the Braves took a 3-0 lead off Madison Bumgarner with a three-run third. Dansby Swanson’s sacrifice fly boosted the lead to 4-1 in the sixth.
Josh VanMeter and Ildemaro Vargas singled to open the seventh off Charlie Morton, Jacob Webb (5-4) relieved and Kelly hit his second pitch for a 376-foot homer to left field, his 12th this season.
Pinch-hitter Kole Calhoun and Varsho followed with doubles, Tyler Matzek relieved and pinch-hitter Henry Ramos’ sacrifice fly padded the lead.
Morton gave up three runs, five hits and two walks with eight strikeouts and two walks in his third start since signing a $22 million contract for 2022, a deal that includes a $22 million option for 2023. He has given up as many as four runs only once in his last 14 starts.
Bumgarner, who no-hit the Braves in a 7-0, seven-inning victory April 25, gave up three runs and five hits in five innings, with five strikeouts and two walks.
Sean Poppen (1-0) pitched a scoreless seventh inning for his first major league victory. J.B. Wendelken pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.
D-backs show faith in Lovullo
PHOENIX — Lovullo’s deal announced Thursday includes a club option for 2023, according to general manager Mike Hazen.
“Through everything the season has presented, Torey did a good job of getting guys through this … even in a season where we might set a franchise-worst record,” Hazen said.
Arizona had lost 14 of 17 entering Thursday.
Lovullo, 56, was Boston’s bench coach from 2013-16, serving as interim manager during the last two months of the 2015 season while John Farrell was treated for lymphoma. Lovullo replaced Chip Hale — UA’s current baseball coach — as Arizona’s manager after the 2016 season and was voted NL Manager of the Year in 2017, when the Diamondbacks went 93-69, beat Colorado in the NL wild card game and were swept by the Dodgers in the NL Division Series.
Arizona slipped to 82-80 the following season, went 85-77 in 2019 and 25-35 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.
Lovullo was given a two-year contract extension in January 2019 that ran through the 2021 season. His new deal includes a club option for 2023.
“I am the one who charted the course we were going to go,” Hazen said. “I’m not a martyr. I need to be honest where things have gone.”
The Diamondbacks were a franchise-worst 51-111 in 2004. They’ll have to win at least three of their final nine games to avoid tying or breaking that mark.
