Jul 23, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners first baseman Tyler Locklear (27) runs towards first base after hitting a single against the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Diamondbacks' Newcomer Finds First Success In Encouraging Win

Originally posted on Arizona Diamondbacks on SI
By Alex D'Agostino | Last updated Aug 3, 2025 7:02 PM ET

The Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Athletics on Sunday, taking their first series win since July 20 by a score of 6-4. Eduardo Rodriguez and the bullpen pitched well enough, and a new face made his first waves as a member of the Diamondbacks.

First baseman Tyler Locklear, the headlining return of the Eugenio Suárez trade, went 2-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in the win — his first major league base hits since his debut season in 2024.

Locklear had gone 0-for-7 prior, but showcased a solid approach and played good defense. On Sunday, he found his first results with Arizona, with hopefully plenty more to come.

Arizona Diamondbacks' Eduardo Rodriguez Delivers Solid Start

It wasn't dazzling by any means, but left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez kept his team in the game for the duration of his start. He pitched five innings, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks while striking out five.

Rodriguez worked around relatively heavy traffic, as has often been the case. That limited him to a shorter start and forced manager Torey Lovullo to go to his bullpen in the sixth inning.

In the first inning, Rodriguez escaped runners at the corners. In the second, he loaded the bases with two outs, but a heads-up double play by Blaze Alexander ended the threat.

Rodriguez would pitch two 1-2-3 innings before giving up a two-run single in the fifth. That would be his only damage of the day.

Rodriguez's effort, though not perfect, set the D-backs up for success. He exited with a 4-2 lead.

Behind Rodriguez, the bullpen generally held up. John Curtiss and Kendall Graveman each threw scoreless innings. Andrew Saalfrank gave up a run, and Kyle Nelson gave up a solo homer in the ninth, but still collected his first save of the season.

Arizona Diamondbacks Offense Slowly Turning it Around

The D-backs belted three homers in Saturday's win, scoring seven runs after scoring just seven total runs in their previous seven games.

On Sunday, they plated six more, rapping out 12 total hits.

Outside of Locklear's knocks, Geraldo Perdomo went 3-for-5 with a double. Blaze Alexander went 2-for-5 with his first homer of the season and an RBI single in the ninth inning.

Alek Thomas continued his hot streak with a 3-for-4 day. He's now collected three straight multi-hit games, and is becoming an important catalyst at the bottom of Arizona's order.