Diamondbacks Run Wild in Comeback Win Over Padres
The Diamondbacks played the type of fast, athletic baseball today envisioned by the team's architects when they put this team together. Getting on base and running wild, taking extra bases and racking up five steals led to a three run 6th inning and a four run 8th. That turned a 5-1 deficit into an eventual 8-6 victory. The win was punctuated by an unbelievable catch by Jake McCarthy to get Drey Jameson out of a jam in the 8th.
The Diamondbacks came into the game with just two walks in their first five games. Today they drew seven free passes, four of them along with two hit batsmen were issued by Padres starter Yu Darvish. Darvish gave up just one run however. A couple of double plays and seven hitless at bats with runners in scoring position held the D-backs in check through the first five innings. The lone run off Darvish came from a Josh Rojas sacrifice fly, driving in Geraldo Perdomo.
Meanwhile the Padres were busy scoring five runs off of Zac Gallen. A crazy start to the game happened when Manny Machado was charged with pitch timer violation in the bottom of the first for not being ready in the box. With two strikes and two outs that play ended the inning. It also was the end of Machado's day as he argued the play and insulted the umpire, getting ejected in the process. But in the second inning a double by Jake Cronenworth and a RBI single by Austin Nola brought home the first Padres run.
Nelson Cruz, who replaced Machado in the DH spot in the order, hit a 92 MPH fastball from Gallen deep to left for a solo homer. A couple of bloop hits and a throwing error by Herrera on a stolen base attempt led to another run. Then in the fifth inning a double by Juan Soto was followed one out later by a two run blast from Xander Bogaerts to make it 5-1. Gallen threw a scoreless 6th inning however after his team scored three in the top half of the inning to keep the D-backs in the game. Gallen gave up seven hits, five runs, 4 earned with a walk, three strikeouts and the two homers.
The three D-backs runs in the 6th all came with two outs. Jake McCarthy singled and Alek Thomas walked. Perdomo then hit a sinking liner to right that David Dahl got a glove on but couldn't come up with. Following right behind McCarthy, Thomas raced all around the way around from first and slid in just under the tag to make it 5-3. Rojas collected his third hit and second RBI of the day with a base hit up the middle scoring Perdomo to bring the D-backs within one.
It was the 8th inning where the D-backs really put their stamp on the game. McCarthy singled to get it started, stole second and moved up to third on a Thomas ground out. Perdomo laid down a sac bunt up the first base line to score McCarthy. Matt Carpenter couldn't pick up the ball and Perdomo was safe at first. Perdomo then stole second and scored on a base hit to center by Herrera. A walk to Rojas, single by Ketel Marte and a Lourdes Gurriel Jr. sacrifice fly led to another run. Then a double steal with Rojas coming home and Marte getting to second gave the D-backs four steals and four runs in the inning for an 8-5 lead.
It was a play the D-backs ran before in a Spring Training game against the Rockies. The design is for the runner on first to draw a throw to second while the runner at third breaks for home, which when executed correctly would result in a run. It wasn't run well back then, but Marte and Rojas were able to execute the play to perfection.
Jameson gave up a solo homer to Trent Grisham in the bottom of the ninth but closed it out by striking out Cruz to end the game.
Josh Rojas filled up the box score today with three hits, a walk, two RBI, a run scored and a sac fly. McCarthy reached base four times, as did Perdomo.
Torey Lovullo said after the game "Were' a good team, we're athletic, we're going to exploit things that we're supposed to"
The Diamondbacks thus conclude their road trip with a 3-3 record, splitting with both the Dodgers and the Padres. They now head back home to Chase Field for their home opener Thursday against the Dodgers, game time is 7:10 MST.
In a rematch of last Friday night's game, Merrill Kelly will get the ball for Arizona, while Dustin May goes for the Dodgers.
