Leon, Holt Homer As Red Sox Beat Diamondbacks, 6-3
Ziegler, acquired from the Diamondbacks on July 9 and already 0-3 with his new team, came on after Matt Barnes walked the bases loaded. He struck out the next three batters on 10 pitches -- all strikes, with only two foul balls.
Craig Kimbrel, the sixth Boston pitcher, worked a perfect ninth for his 19th save.
Leon, who also had a single and a walk and is hitting .390 in 123 at-bats, led off the fifth and keyed a three-run rally with his fifth homer of the season. Holt hit his first home run in 64 at-bats since July 19 (sixth overall) in a two-run sixth.
Both homers came off Arizona starter Archie Bradley (4-8), who has won once since June 19. He was charged with six runs (four earned) in 5 1/3 innings.
Spot starter Clay Buchholz, twice demoted to the bullpen this season and replacing an injured Steven Wright, worked the first 4 1/3 innings, allowing three runs in his first start since July 2. Winner Robbie Ross Jr. (2-2) and Junichi Tazawa preceded Barnes.
Boston rookie Andrew Benintendi had two hits, an RBI and a run scored and is batting .379 in his first 10 major league games while Dustin Pedroia had two hits and an RBI.
Michael Bourn had two hits, an RBI, a walk and a run scored for the last-place Diamondbacks, who came into this series with a four-game winning streak and turn to ace Zack Greinke to try to avoid the sweep Sunday.
Buchholz, blasted in his last return to the rotation, blanked the visitors for three innings. He used double plays to pitch around walks in the second and third, but the Diamondbacks got to him in the fourth.
With one out, Bourn singled and Paul Goldschmidt walked before the pair pulled off a double steal. Jake Lamb tied the game with a groundout and Rickie Weeks made it 2-1 with an RBI single.
Chris Owings started the fifth with a single and Buchholz was done after getting an out. Ross came on and got the first man but walked Jean Segura before Bourn singled home a run.
Boston took a 1-0 lead in the third on an RBI single by Pedroia, who left Friday night's game with flu-like symptoms.
The Red Sox got Leon's leadoff homer, his second hit of the game, in the fifth. Holt followed with a pop fly to short right and after second baseman Segura bailed at the last second, right fielder Socrates Brito dropped the ball for an error. Benintendi doubled home the tying run.
Bradley got the next two outs, but Mookie Betts singled to put Boston on top 4-3.
NOTES: CF Jackie Bradley Jr., who has been playing with a sore big toe that was nailed by a foul tip, was out of the Red Sox lineup, getting a planned night off. ... LF Yasmany Tomas was back in the Arizona lineup after missing four starts with neck stiffness. ... Red Sox RF Mookie Betts received his July American League Player of the Month Award before the game. ... The Diamondbacks will send the MRI exam results of RHP Rubby De La Rosa (elbow) to Dr. James Andrews for further evaluation. He hasn't pitched since late May. ... There will be a matchup of hot pitchers Sunday with Zack Greinke (11-3, 30-6 last two seasons) facing Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (15-3). Both have won nine of their last 10 decisions. Greinke returned from the disabled list (oblique) Tuesday. Porcello is 11-0 in 12 home starts and bids to become the first Boston pitcher to start a season 12-0 at home since Dave Ferriss was 13-0 in 1946. ... RHP Jonathan Papelbon could be a target of the Red Sox. Boston president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said the club will look into a possible reunion with the former Red Sox closer. Papelbon was released Saturday by the Washington Nationals.
