Ray gives up 2 hits in 7 innings, D-backs beat Brewers 4-0

MILWAUKEE (AP) Robbie Ray pitched seven innings of two-hit ball to lower the NL's second-best road ERA to 0.081, Gregor Blanco and Chris Owings homered, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-0 Thursday night for their ninth win in 10 games.

Ray (4-3), coming off a dominating performance against San Diego in his last start, did not allow a run for the second straight outing. He struck out nine and walked none to send the Brewers to their season-worst fourth straight loss.

Arizona, coming off a three-game sweep against the Chicago White Sox, has won four straight to move 11 games above .500 for the first time since 2011.

Blanco, who went 3 for 4, hit the second pitch of the game off Milwaukee starter Zach Davies (5-3) for his fourth career leadoff home run. Owings tied his career high with his sixth of the season leading off the second. David Peralta had an RBI double in the third and Paul Goldschmidt scored on a wild pitch in the eighth.

Archie Bradley pitched the eighth and T.J. McFarland the ninth to preserve the shutout.

Ray drilled Manny Pina in the left elbow in the second, knocking the Brewers' catcher flat. Grimacing in obvious pain, he eventually walked off the field accompanied by the trainer Dan Wright and manager Craig Counsell. Jett Bandy ran for Pina and took over behind the plate.

Juan Aguilar pinch hit in the fourth for Ryan Braun who left game with left calf tightness. Braun had just been reinstated Sunday from the 10-day DL with a left calf strain.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Diamondbacks: RHP Taijuan Walker (10-day DL, blister on right index finger) continues to make progress. ''All the reports with his throwing program having been very positive,'' manager Torey Lovullo said. ''So, he's right on pace. We want to make sure that when it's time for him to start that this (blister) doesn't reoccur.'' ... OF A.J. Pollock (10-day DL, strained right groin) did not make the 11-game road trip. However, he resumed baseball activities back in Arizona.

Brewers: RHP Junior Guerra tests his strained right calf on Friday when he comes off the 10-day DL. He won't be on a pitch count despite not pitching since opening day.

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Godley (1-1, 2.45 ERA) makes his fifth start this season and second of his career against the Brewers. He is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA with seven strikeouts in his two previous appearances.

Brewers: RHP Junior Guerra (0-0, 6.00 ERA) comes off the 10-day DL to face the Diamondbacks for the first time. He hasn't pitched since his abbreviated opening day start against Colorado on April 3. He strained his right calf while running to first base on a sacrifice bunt in the third