Andrew Chafin Power Shags His Way to Victory
Andrew Chafin blew a save in the top of the eighth inning but came back out for the ninth inning, gutting out a victory with a strikeout of Franmil Reyes on his 35th pitch. The Diamondbacks had scratched out a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a 4-4 tie. Having previously lost 4 of their last five games, this was a much needed victory to keep the team in first place. The Dodgers and Padres were both off tonight, so the D-backs with their 13-11 record hold a half game lead over L.A. and one full game over San Diego.
A funny moment occurred in the bottom of the ninth when Olivares popped up over by the D-backs dugout. With Gabriel Moreno the catcher, Chafin the pitcher, and Christian Walker the first baseman all converging, Chafin called off his fielders and took over the play to make the catch. Asked after the game if he had ever seen Chafin move that fast Walker said "Oh yeah, actually that guy power shags in the outfield every day." In response Chafin said "It's been my dream to make a top ten play, obviously that not even close."
The Diamondbacks drew a season high eight walks in the game, six of them issued by Royals starter Brad Keller. They were 3-10 with runners in scoring position with 10 men left on base. As Torey Lovullo described it, "It was a good solid effort in a game that just didn't have any rhythm, it was one one of those awkward days where it was a bumpy road for both teams."
Alek Thomas had a sacrifice fly to drive in a run in the second, and after a walk to Jake McCarthy Geraldo Perdomo drove in a run with a base hit on a line shot to right as the D-backs took a short lived 2-1 lead. After the Royals tied it up in the third inning the D-backs scored two more in the bottom of the frame, with Pavin Smith singling in a run and Moreno getting an RBI groundout.
For the second night in a row a young Diamondbacks starter struggled to find the strike zone in the first inning. Last night it was Drey Jameson, who ended up getting optioned to Reno after his outing. This time around it was Tommy Henry getting the start in the rotation place of the recently DFA'd Madison Bumgarner. Henry was able to limit the first inning damage to just a solo homer by Edward Olivares. A couple of four-pitch walks followed the homer, leading to a 22-pitch inning.
Henry's outing was not impressive, but he managed to pitch into the fifth inning. After his shaky first, he bounced back nicely by retiring the side in order in the second on nine pitches. The Royals got to him for another run in the third on a two out double by Vinnie Pasquantino and a RBI single by Salvador Perez.
Henry pitched a scoreless fourth inning, but protecting a 4-2 lead he began the fifth by walking Bobby Witt Jr. The speedy shortstop was then picked off for the first out of the inning, but Henry walked Olivares, and that was the end of his night. Lovullo went to his high leverage relievers early. Kyle Nelson came on and gave up a single to Pasquantino and a double to Perez, allowing the inherited runner to score, but shut it down from there with a couple of ground outs.
Henry's pitching line was 4.1 IP, 4 hits, 3 earned runs, 4 walks, 1 K, 1 HR. Henry's average fastball velocity was just 90.4 MPH, down a tick compared to 91.6 last year. He threw 73 pitches, 41 for strikes, with just six swing an miss. His best pitch tonight was the changeup. He threw 16 of them, got three swings and misses, and induced mostly soft contact on the pitch. (70 MPH exit velocity)
Scott McGough and Miguel Castro combined for 7 outs, but Castro gave up a one out single in the 8th. Chafin relieved him and gave up a walk and an RBI single as the Royals tied up the game. That set up the bottom of the 8th, with Aroldis Chapman in the game firing 100 MPH fastballs for the Royals.
Christian Walker pinch hit for Smith and worked a one out walk that included an automatic ball charged to Chapman for not waiting for Walker to make eye contact before starting his delivery. A base hit by Moreno sent Walker to third and then Nick Ahmed came in to pinch hit. Just trying to get the bat on the ball he hit a cue shot down the first base line and Walker made a heads up decision to head home. The first baseman threw wide and Walker slid in safe with the winning run.
Game 2 of the three-game series starts at 6:40 P.M, with Ryne Nelson facing Brady Singer.
Listen to Lovullo, Walker, and Chafin talk about the victory.
