PHOENIX — Daulton Varsho hit a three-run homer, Pavin Smith had a career-high four hits and three RBIs and the Arizona Diamondbacks avoided a series sweep with a 11-7 win over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.
David Peralta also had three hits for Arizona, which snapped a five-game losing streak.
Varsho’s homer was his 10th of the season, and came in a five-run sixth inning for Arizona. The Diamondbacks had 13 total hits on Sunday.
Former American League Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel made his debut for Arizona after being signed to a minor-league contract on June 6. He gave up six hits and four earned runs in 4 1/3 innings while striking out seven and walking three.
Reliever J.B. Wendelken (2-1) got the win for Arizona despite giving up two earned runs in 1 2/3 innings.
Detroit starter Beau Brieske allowed five hits and five earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. Will Vest (1-2) took the loss, allowing four hits and five earned runs in one inning of work.
Dallas Keuchel gave up four runs in 4 1/3 innings Sunday in Phoenix in his first game with the D-backs.
Eric Haase homered and had three RBIs for Detroit.
Arizona sent eight batters to the plate in the sixth inning. Smith had an RBI single, rookie Buddy Kennedy scored a run with a sacrifice fly and Varsho hit a 1-0 change-up from Vest over the pool beyond the right field fence to score Christian Walker and Peralta.
The Diamondbacks grabbed a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI single by Josh Rojas and a two-run single by Smith off reliever Alex Lange, who had come on in relief of Brieske.
Detroit came right back in the top of the fifth to take a 6-5 lead. Keuchel was lifted after giving up a one-out walk to Riley Greene, and Wendelken walked Spencer Torkelson and gave up a first-pitch three-run homer to Haase.
Keuchel’s chance
The 34-year-old Keuchel was designated for assignment by the White Sox on May 28. The D-backs will be responsible for $396,154 of his $18 million salary this year, paying only a prorated share of the $700,000 minimum.
Keuchel started two games in the Arizona Complex League for the Diamondbacks, allowing six runs while striking out 17 and walking two in 12 innings.
“He threw the ball really well in his last outing,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “We’ve been having a lot of discussions. We had some internal options. We feel like he deserves this opportunity, and he’s been working really hard to make this happen.”
Keuchel was 2-5 with a 7.88 ERA in eight starts for the White Sox. He has been reunited in Arizona with pitching coach and Tucsonan Brent Strom, who worked with Keuchel in Houston from 2014-18. Keuchel won the 2015 AL Cy Young Award.
Roster moves
The Diamondbacks optioned RHP Sean Poppen to Triple-A Reno after Saturday’s game to make room for Keuchel and designated RHP Ryan Weiss for assignment.
Up next
Tigers: Detroit LHP Tarik Skubal (5-5, 3.63) will face San Francisco LHP Carlos Rodon (6-4, 2.70) in the opener of a three-game series Tuesday.
Diamondbacks: Arizona RHP Zac Gallen (4-2, 2.92) will open a three-game series against San Diego on Tuesday. The Padres haven’t announced their starter.
