Diamondbacks take down Cubs in return from All Star break

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CHICAGO - Gabriel Moreno had three hits, scored twice and drove in a run and Ryne Nelson pitched five-plus solid innings, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Nelson (7-6) struck out nine batters and allowed three hits as Arizona won for the seventh time in 10 games. Reliever Ryan Thompson escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the eighth inning, allowing one run and Paul Sewald pitched the ninth inning for his 14th save.

"I’m trying to keep it just one outing at a time or one day at a time. … I feel like keeping that level-headed mindset, even when I’m out there pitching, it’s one pitch at time and trying to be present," Nelson said. "I think that mindset has really helped me a lot."

Christian Walker singled to drive in Moreno and Ketel Marte to cap a three-run third inning off Cubs starter Justin Steele (2-4). Moreno singled in the first run. Randal Grichuk and Corbin Carroll also drove in a run for Arizona.

The Diamondbacks’ streak may dictate whether the defending National League champions will be either buyers or sellers at the July 30 trade deadline.

Steele allowed five runs on nine hits before he was pulled after 4 2/3 innings. A strength of Chicago’s pitching staff, Steele hadn’t allowed more than three runs in a game over his previous nine starts, a stretch that dated to May 22.

"We’re just good hitters, you know, and I think we have good game planning," Arizona manager Torey Luvolla said. "So what it is exactly I don’t know. I know that they go out there with a really good idea of how to attack each pitcher and it certainly worked today against Steele."

A Nico Hoerner double preceded two consecutive walks thrown by Justin Martinez that loaded the Cubs’ bases with no outs in the eighth inning. Thompson gave up a sacrifice fly to Ian Happ before getting out of the inning.

Chicago manager Craig Counsell took aim at the home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz following the loss, which pushed the Cubs into last place in the National League Central Division.

"I think there were some big calls in this game that were called incorrectly. Some balls, some strikes that were just missed," Counsell said.

The one call that seemed to upset the Cubs was a called third strike on Christopher Morel for the second out in the eighth inning. The pitch may be been a little low.

Morel drove in Michael Busch on a single to center field in the sixth inning for the Cubs’ other run.