Diamondbacks Sweep Cubs With Timely Hits, Lights Out Bullpen
Before Friday's night's game, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo challenged his players to give him their best 14 days. Over the weekend, the team responded to that message, securing a series sweep of the Chicago Cubs with a 6-2 win tonight in front of a national audience. It was the first time Arizona swept Chicago in a series since July 18-20, 2014 at Chase Field, propelling them to the second Wild Card position by half a game over the Cubs and Marlins.
Manager Torey Lovullo spoke about being able to showcase their style of baseball in front of a national audience:
"There's a good baseball team here in Arizona, we proudly represent the state. We're growing and learning every single day, and we play the game right way. We do it right and we expect to have good results."
The D-backs ambushed Cubs left-hander Jordan Wicks for three runs in the bottom of the first. After loading the bases with no outs, they got a big hit from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and their first two outs of inning also scored runs. Chicago crept back in the game, plating a run in the second and third inning against Ryne Nelson. Nelson only lasted 3 1/3 innings, allowing those two runs on four hits, three walks, and four strikeouts. After a one-out walk in the fourth, Lovullo pulled his rookie right-hander after 75 pitches.
"We got to a certain point with Nelly and it looked like he was in a fist fight and was fighting himself. There were two pitches that were working and he was trying to get to a third pitch, possibly a fourth pitch, but just never really got into a rhythm. I had a good discussion with Strommie, once we got to a certain point we felt like we'd piece it together and win a baseball game."
It's a recent shift in philosophy that has paid off major dividends in each of their wins in the series. Much of that is due to tremendous pitching by the bullpen, which has the third best ERA (2.54) in MLB for the month of September. Tonight was no different for the D-backs relief corps, as Luis Frias, Miguel Castro, Ryan Thompson and Bryce Jarvis combined for 5 2/3 scoreless innings and enabled the hitters to tack on more runs late. Jarvis was just recalled prior to tonight's game, getting on a plane at 6:00 A.M. this morning and working on little sleep. He was excited to be joining the team in the middle of a playoff chase and came up big to lock down the final two innings and save the rest of the bullpen.
With the team locked in a very tight playoff race with four other teams, each game has a postseason type feel. Lovullo elaborated on if his previous experience in the postseason played a role in the philosophy change.
"The only real experience I have in that is the Wild Card in '17 and three games after that. Zack Greinke started and gave us four-plus innings, and I went to Robbie Ray. It was very scripted there as well, we had to win a baseball game, there's not a lot of time to sit and wait. I pay attention, I learn, and I'm going to continue to try to move the ball forward making the best decision possible."
As the bullpen locked down the Cubs hitters, the D-backs tacked on two more runs in the sixth. Jordan Lawlar rolled a ground ball perfectly placed between two infielders for a single and Ketel Marte guided a ball over the fence for a two-run home run that blew the game open.
"I was sitting on the two-seamer, but he hung a changeup and I put my best swing" said Marte. It was his 23rd homer of the year and his RBI total is up to 77 as his solid season continues
Arizona tacked on a huge insurance run in the seventh, as Gurriel picked up his second hit of the night. Pushing all the right buttons, Lovullo brought in Alek Thomas to pinch run for Gurriel. He started Thomas on a hit-and-run and Jace Peterson laced double down the left field line. Ian Happ raced frantically to try to stop the ball from getting into the corner, but Thomas' outran the play with his speed, coming all the way around to score. That run gave the D-backs some breathing room and allowed Lovullo to save Kevin Ginkel and Paul Sewald, who both pitched in the first two games of the series. Bryce Jarvis completed the terrific night from the bullpen by retiring all six hitters.
The D-backs finally have an off day tomorrow after playing 17 games in 17 days to start September. On Tuesday the Giants come to down for a quick two-game series, bringing more playoff atmosphere baseball to Chase Field.
