Hudson doubles up as D-Backs handle Giants

Diamondbacks 5, Giants 4

PHOENIX (AP) -- The Arizona Diamondbacks are streaking again.

This time they're going in the right direction after Orlando Hudson's tiebreaking two-run double helped them beat the San Francisco Giants 5-4 Sunday for their fifth straight win. The win streak began after the Diamondbacks dropped five in a row.

Arizona has rallied to win four of the five games during the streak, and the Diamondbacks did it again Sunday after spotting the Giants a 1-0 first-inning lead.

"We're doing the little things and coming back with some late comeback wins," Hudson said.

Arizona has one of the younger lineups in the majors, and the Diamondbacks are batting only .243 as a team. But the inexperience and feeble hitting aren't hurting the Diamondbacks, who are 8-4 in one-run games.

"Doesn't every team expect to win the close games?" said Brandon Lyon, who pitched the ninth inning for his first save in as many opportunities. "Sometimes it doesn't happen, and sometimes it does. Right now, for us, it's working out."

The Diamondbacks take their streak to Los Angeles for a three-game series that begins Monday night in Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers swept two from the Diamondbacks in Chase Field on April 16-17.

The Giants, who rode an eight-game winning streak into town, swept the Diamondbacks last weekend in the Bay Area.

"We had a tough time all series," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said.

Still, the Giants had a chance to salvage the finale, loading the bases against Lyon in the ninth. Lyon was called on to close the game because Jose Valverde had pitched the last two games.

With one out, Barry Bonds pinch hit and drew a walk. Pinch-hitter Ryan Klesko followed with a base hit and Randy Winn singled to load the bases. Lyon responded by getting Omar Vizquel to foul out and retiring Rich Aurilia on a popup to shortstop.

"We had a few chances today," said Vizquel, who doubled and scored in the eighth. "We just haven't been able to hit in the clutch, and that was the big difference today."

Brandon Medders (1-0) earned the victory with a scoreless seventh inning.

Ray Durham went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs for the Giants.

With the game tied at 3 in the seventh, the Diamondbacks loaded the bases with three straight singles.

That brought up the switch-hitting Hudson, who is a .365 hitter from the left side and bats .227 from the right. Bochy had lefty Steve Kline warming up in the bullpen but opted to allow right-hander Matt Morris to stay in the game.

Hudson drove a 1-1 pitch down the left-field line to put Arizona ahead 5-3. He went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and is hitting .340.

"He's been huge for us all year," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said.

Morris (3-1) allowed five runs and 12 hits in seven innings. He walked three and struck out two.

"Just sloppy pitching," Morris said.

Morris faced Randy Johnson, who made his second start since October back surgery. Johnson allowed two earned runs and seven hits in six innings and couldn't protect a 3-1 lead.

He gave up a run on Todd Linden's RBI single in the fourth, and a tying homer to Durham in the sixth.

Durham, who is 10-for-30 lifetime against The Big Unit, hit a 3-2 pitch 421 feet onto a concourse above the left-center field fence.

"It was a bad pitch to a real good hitter," Johnson said.

Johnson struck out five and walked one. He threw 99 pitches, 69 for strikes.

"I think the more I throw, the better I'm going to start feeling and going deeper in the games," he said.

Game notes
Arizona 1B Conor Jackson left the game with lacerations to his right hand. Jackson was hurt when he was thrown out on a headfirst slide into home plate in the second inning. "I've never done that in my life," said Jackson, who required two stitches. "It was just stupid." ... Hudson has reached base in all 26 games this season. The club record is 40 straight games, set by Jay Bell in 1998. ... Arizona SS Stephen Drew booted two ground balls for his third and fourth errors in 23 games. He had five errors in 59 games a year ago. ... San Francisco C Eliezer Alfonzo's third-inning single snapped an 0-for-11 slump to open the season.