BOSTON (AP) — Jake Peavy allowed four hits in seven-plus innings to lead the Red Sox to a 5-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night, winning his first start since coming to Boston at the trade deadline.
Peavy (8-5) struck out seven and walked two, giving up Paul Goldschmidt’s homer in the fourth and leaving with a 3-1 lead after a leadoff single in the eighth.
Peavy was acquired from the Chicago White Sox in a three-team trade that included Detroit. The former Cy Young winner walked slowly from the mound as the crowd rose to a standing ovation, tipping his cap to the fans while crossing the first-base line on his way to the dugout.
Shane Victorino and Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered for Boston. Koji Uehara pitched the ninth for his 10th save.
Patrick Corbin (12-3) allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks, striking out six in six-plus innings for his second consecutive loss.
Peavy left after giving up a leadoff single to Wil Nieves in the eighth, then the Diamondbacks continued to load the bases against Craig Breslow. Aaron Hill singled off Junichi Tazawa to make it 3-2 but left fielder Jonny Gomes threw out Cliff Pennington at the plate when he tried to score from second. Goldschmidt struck out, then Eric Chavez flied out to left to end the inning.
Boston made it 5-2 in the bottom half when Saltalamacchia homered into the Red Sox bullpen, where Uehara caught it.
The Red Sox, who lost the series opener on Friday, have won six of their last eight games to hold onto first place in the AL East.
The Red Sox got Peavy on Tuesday night, a before the trading deadline. The 2007 NL Cy Young winner came from a last-place team to a first-place team, and in his first start he gave the Red Sox rotation a boost.
In his third start since leaving the game on June 4 for Chicago with a broken rib, Peavy allowed just one hit in the first three innings before Goldschmidt knocked an 0-2 pitch over the Boston bullpen to lead off the fourth. Peavy retired 12 of the next 13 batters.
Corbin had allowed one earned run in each of his previous four starts before giving up three on Saturday, bringing a 2.24 ERA — third-best in the National League — into the game. The Diamondbacks fell to 18-4 in his starts this season.
NOTES: The Red Sox recalled RHP Rubby de la Rosa from Triple-A Pawtucket and optioned RHP Pedro Beato to Triple-A. … Jacoby Ellsbury stole his 40th base of the season, joining Tris Speaker (1912-14) as the only Red Sox players with three seasons of at least 40 steals. … Boston DH David Ortiz has reached base safely in 17 straight games. … The Red Sox are 8-3 in interleague play this year, with 17 wins in their last 22 games against the NL. … Former Red Sox OF Cody Ross was held hitless in four at-bats after going 4 for 5 on Friday with two doubles and a go-ahead homer for Arizona.
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