Kelly helps D-backs end 17-game skid, beat Brewers 5-1

PHOENIX (AP) — Merrill Kelly pitched seven effective innings, Ketel Marte had two hits and the Arizona Diamondbacks snapped a 17-game losing streak by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1 on Monday night.

The win was a long time coming for Arizona, which has plunged to the bottom of the standings in the NL West and has the worst record in the majors at 21-53. It was the first win for the Diamondbacks since they beat the Mets 6-5 in 10 innings on June.

The 17-game skid was two shy of the longest during the wild-card era, by the Kansas City Royals in 2005.

Kelly (3-7) — the only Diamondbacks starting pitcher who has stayed reasonably healthy all season — had one of his best outings of the year. The right-hander needed just 94 pitches to navigate his seven innings, giving up one run, five hits and a walk with five strikeouts.

The night didn't start well for the D-backs, who fell behind in the first inning after Milwaukee's Avisail Garcia lined a two-out RBI single through the infield.

Arizona with three runs in the second, when seven straight batters reached base on six singles and one walk. The D-backs pushed ahead 5-1 in the fourth after Josh Rojas sliced an opposite-field RBI double to left and Marte scored on a groundout.

Joakim Soria worked the ninth to end three weeks of misery for the Diamondbacks. When the last out was recorded, catcher Stephen Vogt did a little dance and a relieved group of D-backs shared smiles and handshakes.

The Diamondbacks started the season with a 15-13 record but have had a rough time for nearly two months. Even with Monday's win, they're just 6-40 since May 2. They've also got one more dubious losing streak to end: They've dropped 23 straight games on the road, the longest skid in modern-day MLB history.

Arizona's next chance to end that...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Kelly-helps-D-backs-end-17-game-skid-beat-16264132.php