BALTIMORE (AP) — Ildemaro Vargas hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning to lift the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night.
A night after the Orioles rallied from a 7-1 deficit, Arizona turned the tables with a smaller comeback. The Diamondbacks were down 2-0 when Vargas connected off Trevor Rogers (2-1) for his second homer of the year.
Merrill Kelly (1-0) allowed two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings
in his first start of the season. He walked four and struck out three.
Ryan Thompson retired Jeremiah Jackson on a grounder with the bases loaded in the eighth to preserve Arizona's one-run lead, and Paul Sewald worked a perfect ninth for his sixth save.
Geraldo Perdomo had three hits for Arizona.
Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte was scratched shortly before the game because of back tightness.
Vargas now has a hit in all 12 games he's played in 2026, matching a franchise record for longest hitting streak at the start of a season.
Kelly (left intercostal nerve irritation) started the season on the injured list, and Samuel Basallo hit a solo homer off him in the second inning. In the third, Kelly walked three hitters, including Leody Taveras with the bases loaded to make it 2-0.
After Vargas' one-out homer in the fifth, Jose Fernandez doubled home a run to chase Rogers.
Taveras singled home a run in the eighth, and Thompson came on with two outs and the bases full to face Jackson, who homered twice in Baltimore's win Monday. Jackson hit the first pitch into the ground, and Thompson came off the mound quickly to field the ball and throw him out.
Orioles manager Craig Albernaz was back in the dugout after being hit in the face by a foul ball Monday.
Kyle Bradish (1-2) starts for the Orioles on Wednesday against Eduardo Rodriguez (1-0).
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