PITTSBURGH -- Arizona Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson was looking for a spark. His team was coming off what he called its worst game of the season. So Gibson moved outfielder David Peralta into the second spot of the batting order. He responded with three hits, including a two-run homer, and four RBI

PITTSBURGH -- Arizona Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson was looking for a spark. His team was coming off what he called its worst game of the season. So Gibson moved outfielder David Peralta into the second spot of the batting order. He responded with three hits, including a two-run homer, and four RBIs as the Diamondbacks beat the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night to avoid a series sweep. "I moved him up in the lineup because hes put the bat on the ball and hes been very consistent for us," Gibson said. "Hes very aggressive and he will play anywhere you ask him." Peralta was more ready for the chance than even his manager might have known. "We had a little team meeting among the players after (Wednesday nights 5-1 loss) and just said to remember that we are a good team," he said. "I think it motivated everybody. It left everybody with a good feeling." Arizona scored three runs in the sixth and put the game away with seven in the ninth. "The first game was devastating because they came back and stole it for us and then we played our worst game of the year last night," Gibson said. "We came back with a good effort today, played a good, clean game, got good pitching, some clutch hits then were able to have some fun in that last inning." The Pirates are 0 for 8 in chances to sweep opposing teams this season. They looked primed to get their first sweep as starter Vance Worley retired the first 12 batters he faced and carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning. Ender Inciarte broke up Worleys no-hit bid with an RBI single with one out in the sixth. Peralta followed with his third home run of the year which barely cleared the 21-foot-high fence in right field and gave Arizona a 3-2 lead. After a strikeout and groundout against Worley in his first two at-bats, Peralta was prepared for his third trip to the plate. "I thought Ill get him next time," Peralta said. "The next time, he gave me a pitch I could hit. My whole approach is always to wait for my pitch and thats what I did in that at-bat." Miguel Montero was the first Diamondback to reach base after he worked a leadoff walk in the fifth. Pittsburgh scored in the third on a double by Jordy Mercer and RBI groundout by Gregory Polanco. The Pirates opened the fourth with hits by Neil Walker, Russell Martin and Ike Davis to extend their lead to 2-0. Walker started the inning with a double and scored on Davis single. Brandon McCarthy (3-10) was pulled in the sixth after issuing a two-out walk to Davis. He threw 5 2-3 innings and allowed two runs and eight hits, walked two and struck out six as he needed to work through some issues on the mound in the early stages of his start. "Some starts you feel great out of the gates but it wasnt quite there for me," McCarthy said. "I was able to hang in there and when things got dicey, I was able to make pitches." Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was pleased with his teams overall approach against McCarthy but acknowledged the inability to capitalize on extending the lead when Pedro Alvarez grounded into a double play in the fourth inning. "The double play in the fourth cut down some momentum we were building," Hurdle said. "We got one run in, first and second with no outs, he was able to get through that and cut off that inning. We didnt score another run the rest of the game." Worley (2-1) went seven innings and gave up three runs, four hits and two walks. He struck out six while taking his first losing decision as a Pirate. "Early on I was able to get ahead in the count, throw strikes and make them swing," Worley said. "And then as the game continued on I lost command of the two-seam fastball and was getting behind. The one inning, one pitch." Arizona sent 11 batters to the plate in the ninth and scored seven runs on eight hits. Pittsburgh reliever Ernesto Frieri gave up five hits to the six batters he faced and all of them scored. Frieri was pulled after recording just one out for Jeanmar Gomez, who entered with the bases loaded and allowed all three inherited runners to score before being charged with two runs of his own. "We some good at-bats early, hit three rocket shots in the second inning that we didnt have anything to show for," Gibson said. "Our guys stayed with it, kept the pressure on and finally got a couple of big hits." NOTES: A replay review of 4:13 overturned a safe ruling as Polanco attempted to steal second base in the fifth inning. ... Starling Marte singled in the third and has reached base in all 13 of his career games played against Arizona. ... Arizona sends RHP Josh Collmenter (7-4, 3.74 ERA) against RHP Ervin Santana (6-5, 4.05 ERA) as the Diamondbacks continue their trip in Atlanta. ... Pittsburgh opens a three-game series against Philadelphia when RHP Gerrit Cole (6-4, 4.02 ERA) matches up against RHP Roberto Hernandez (3-7, 4.26 ERA). Wholesale NFL Jerseys China . Vincent Lamar Carter is no longer the lean, athletic dynamo who dazzled Raptors fans with eye-popping dunks that posterized even the leagues best defenders. Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping . -- Canadian womens amateur golf champion Brooke Henderson is a little less starstruck as she prepares for her second career appearance at an LPGA Tour major event. http://www.nfljerseyschina.net/. "I met her, I think, a week ago. We went to a Norwood hockey store and picked her out some gear. NFL Jerseys China . The Pope greeted Klose at his general audience Wednesday and the pair had a long chat. Klose is German like the pope, although he was born in Poland. In Sundays derby, Lazio took the lead in the seventh minute after Maarten Stekelenburg brought down Klose, resulting in the Roma goalkeeper being sent off and a penalty that Hernanes converted. Stitched Jerseys . The matchup will be made up in Minnesota at a later date. The arena was evacuated about 45 minutes before the scheduled 9:30 p.m. EST tipoff when a generator malfunction outside the arena sent smoke pouring into the building, according to NBA spokeswoman Sharon Lima. SAN ANTONIO -- Portland coach Terry Stotts is running out of adjectives and analogies to describe the San Antonio Spurs dominance in the second quarter. Kawhi Leonard scored 20 points, Tony Parker had 16 points and 10 assists, and San Antonio rolled to a 114-97 victory over the Trail Blazers on Thursday night for a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals. After being struck by a "tidal wave" during the second quarter of the opener, Portland took on even more water in Game 2. "The onslaught at the beginning of the second quarter was obviously the turning point in the game," Stotts said. Boris Diaw scored six straight points to ignite a 23-8 run that gave San Antonio a 54-36 lead with 7 minutes remaining in the first half. The Spurs outscored the Trail Blazers 41-25 in the second quarter, raising their advantage to 77-48 in that period in winning the first two games of the best-of-seven series convincingly. Nicolas Batum scored 21 points for the Trail Blazers. Damian Lillard had 19 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 16 points and 10 rebounds, but the Trail Blazers All-Star duo put up 43 shots. Aldridge was 6 for 23, missing back-to-back dunks in the second quarter. "We missed a lot of shots," Aldridge said. "I definitely wasnt in a good rhythm tonight. I missed two dunks and four or five layups, so if those shots go in, then the whole game is different." The Trail Blazers host Game 3 on Saturday night. Manu Ginobili added 16 points, Marco Belinelli scored 13 and Diaw had 12 as San Antonios reserves outscored Portlands 50-19. Making matters worse for the Trail Blazers, reserve Mo Williams was limited to 9 minutes due to a groin injury. He finished with four points. "Our bench is coming alive," Parker said. "They had a hard first round. They had a hard time against Dallas, but the last two games the bench is playing well." The Trail Blazers, who found a snake in their locker room before the game, had a much better start than in Game 1. Batums 3-pointer gave Portland its first lead of series at 7-4 with 9:47 remaining in the first quarter. It lasted for 16 seconds before Leonards 3 tied it. San Antonio soon began using the quicker pace to force turnovers and find open shooters. The Spurs had 17 fast-break pooints in the first half compared to two by the Trail Blazers.dddddddddddd. Wesley Matthews was clearly frustrated, taking his mouthpiece out and looking upward in frustration before glaring at his teammates. Matthews responded by scoring 10 straight points in the third quarter while San Antonio went scoreless for 4 minutes, pulling Portland within 81-69 with 2 minutes remaining in the third. After losing 116-92 in the opener, Portland was sparked by greater activity by Robin Lopez, who had six rebounds and a blocked shot in the opening six minutes. He struggled once Diaw entered the game. Portland did not allow any fast-break points in the second half, closing within 10 points midway through the final quarter. Lillards 18-foot jumper pulled the Blazers within 92-80 with 9:17 remaining and his driving layup a minute and half later cut the margin to 94-84. Batum, who was 1 for 5 on 3-pointers in Game 1, hit his third of the game to cut the lead to 99-91 with 5:37 remaining. "The first two games, they went on a big run in the first half of both games," Lillard said. "Then in the second half, we come out and make those adjustments and those corrections and clean things up and then we play a much better half. We have to do a better job of taking away those second chances." The Trail Blazers had a chance to close within seven inside 5 minutes, but Leonard blocked Matthews layup from behind to maintain the Spurs advantage at 102-93. Parker followed with a jumper in the lane on Lillard, and Leonard and Ginobili hit back-to-back 3s to put San Antonio up 110-93 and put the game out of reach. NOTES: Portlands Thomas Robinson found the snake two hours before tipoff when he reached for a bag in his locker. The team initially thought it was a baby rattlesnake, but stadium officials later determined it was a non-venomous snake. The snake was estimated between 3 to 4 feet in length. ... Spurs general manager R.C. Buford was honoured before the tip after being awarded NBA Executive of the Year on Wednesday. Buford, who won the award for the first time in his 12th season as the teams general manager, received a rousing ovation from the sell-out crowd. ... Parker had to towel off after having beer spilled on his left leg when he tumbled into the courtside seats 2 minutes into the game. ' ' '