© Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Diamondbacks Down the Rockies 5-3 in Team Effort Victory
Eugenio Suarez delivered the game-winning hit in the 9th as the D-backs take the series
Eugenio Suárez had been struggling to make contact of late, punching out 12 times in his last seven games coming into today. Over his first four at bats Wednesday he put every ball in play, including line drive outs to the outfield of 105 and 99 MPH exit exit velocity. He was ultimately rewarded for sticking with a contact-oriented approach today however.
The critical moment came when facing reliever Justin Lawrence in the top of the 9th, with two outs and two on in a 3-3 tie. Suárez reached out for a breaking ball away and lifted a shallow fly ball down the line in left just past the outstretched glove of a diving Nolan Jones. The ball dropped in for a two-run double, scoring two runs to put the D-backs up 5-3. That stood up for the final score over the Rockies at Coors Field.
Speaking about the big hit, Suárez was deferential to his opponent. "From the beginning I knew it was going to be a tough at bat. He's a tough pitcher, he's got really good stuff. I wasn't trying to do much. I was swinging at the ball real well earlier in the game, but on that at-bat especially I was just trying to put the ball in play. I didn't want to strike out. I didn't want to be the last out in that inning."
The D-backs scored in the first inning once again, something they've done more than any team in baseball so far this season. Corbin Carroll doubled off the wall in right center with one out and was brought home on a base hit by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. They scored again in the second on a solo homer by Blaze Alexander, his second of the year.
Tommy Henry started and went five innings, giving up three runs, two earned, on four hits, three walks and six strikeouts. He battled through, a 32 pitch first inning, but left the bases loaded, allowing just one run in the frame. He settled down after that, with the only other damage coming in the fourth inning.
With one out in the fourth, Alexander made yet another fielding error, this time on a very routine ground ball. Michael Toglia immediately made it hurt, following with a two-run homer to straightaway center. That put the Rockies up 3-2 at the time. For Alexander, it's been a continuing frustration with the glove. He's hitting great, today going 2-2 with the homer and a walk. That raised his batting average to .345 and OPS to .976. Unfortunately that was already his third error at shortstop, and there have been several misplays recorded as hits as well. With Geraldo Perdomo on the injured list for at least the next month due to knee surgery, Alexander must settle down defensively.
Bryce Jarvis was very solid for 2.2 innings, giving up just one hit, walking one, and striking out three. The lone hit against him was a slicing fly ball by Brendan Rodgers to the right field corner that landed right on the chalk line for a double. In the 7th inning, Jarvis made an outstanding play on a tapper towards third, showing off his athleticism
The D-backs did something today they've not been doing much of lately. That is hitting and scoring between the 7th and 9th innings. Batting just .114 and scoring six runs year to date in those innings, lost opportunities had become a source of frustration. But today they collected four hits, drew three walks, and scored three runs over the final three frames. Gurriel ha an RBI double in the 7th to tie the game at 3-3, setting up Suarez' game winning hit.
Kevin Ginkel recorded a save for the second straight day, his second of the year. It wasn't easy, however, as he loaded the bases and needed 29 pitches before finally getting Jones to fly out to center to end the game. Joe Mantiply picked up the win, despite facing just one batter. He stranded Rodgers at second base in the 8th, getting Michael Toglia to fly out to right.
Torey Lovullo described what it's been like the last two games, coming out of a five-game losing streak. "The last two games have not been easy for us, I'm not going to like. There's some tough circumstances that we walked through, some tough losses. But they're [the players] are tough and they're strong and they went out and showed that today."
With the win the D-backs claw back to 6-7, just one game under .500. The Rockies drop to an abysmal 3-10 on the year. They have an off day tomorrow before starting a three game weekend series at Chase Field against the St Louis Cardinals. Yet another left-hander, Steven Matz will be the starting pitcher for St. Louis. Brandon Pfaadt gets the ball for the Diamondbacks.
