D-backs Bullpen Collapse Ruins Extra-Innings Game vs Orioles

The Diamondbacks lost 5-4 in walk-off fashion to the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. Although they held a 4-3 lead through 7 2/3 innings, the bullpen crumbled at the hands of the dangerous Baltimore lineup.

Right-hander Ryne Nelson did his job well enough. Although only pitching 4 2/3 innings and allowing 10 hits, Nelson held the Orioles to just three runs, and exited the game with the lead despite leaving a runner at third base. Nelson's command and ability to throw strikes looked much improved, especially in his first couple of innings, but his pitch count climbed to 87 in the fifth inning, although a solid 64 of them were for strikes.

Nelson retired his first three batters in order on nine pitches, however he ran into trouble in the fifth, allowing a leadoff solo home run to Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson and subsequently a two-out triple to Ryan Mountcastle.

The offense battled for most of the contest. Although going down in order for the first two innings, the D-backs got to left-handed starter John Means in the third. Blaze Alexander destroyed a ball that appeared to be a solo home run, but it was called foul on the field and that result stood.

Alexander then struck out looking on a pitch well above the zone, but Kevin Newman ripped a triple to the left field wall. Ketel Marte then homered on the next pitch, his ninth of the season, fourth in the last six games, and an extension of his now 12-game hit streak to make it 2-1 in favor of the D-backs. These were the first earned runs of the season surrendered by Orioles starter John Means.

While it’s hard to argue that Mookie Betts isn’t the current front runner for NL MVP, the #Dbacks Ketel Marte is not letting him run away with it. He’s a solid second right behind in bWAR

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— Jack Sommers (@shoewizard59) May 11, 2024

However, Nelson immediately surrendered the lead on a two-out RBI single by Ryan O'Hearn, but the D-backs answered back in the fifth, as they are known to do. An Alexander single and Kevin Newman hustle double put runners at second and third with one out. Corbin Carroll hit a deep sac fly to take the lead, and a Lourdes Gurriel Jr. RBI single extended the lead to 4-2. This was Gurriel's second straight multi-hit game, after a major slump had brought his average down to .233. Gurriel's hit ended Means' day for Baltimore.

After Nelson allowed a solo homer to Gunnar Henderson to make it 4-3 in the home half of the fifth, Ryan Thompson entered the game with two outs. Thompson ended the inning on two pitches, before going a total of 1 1/3 clean innings on just 13 pitches. He lowered his season ERA to 1.10.

Arizona's offense only mustered one more hit against the Orioles bullpen.

With a 4-3 lead and two outs in the eighth, right-hander Kevin Ginkel was the victim of a solo home run by Anthony Santander, evening the score at 4 apiece. The pitch was off the plate but Santander lined it out to centerfield.

Closer Paul Sewald came in to pitch a gutsy scoreless ninth against the top of Baltimore's dangerous lineup to send it to extra innings, but Arizona's hitters failed to advance the ghost runner in the 10th.

Right-hander Bryce Jarvis battled through two walks, escaping a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the bottom of the 10th by inducing a routine double play. The offense had runners on the corners with one out against closer Craig Kimbrel in the 11th, but failed to score, and Jarvis' valiant effort came up short in the 11th inning with a walk-off base hit by Jordan Westburg on the first pitch of the inning.

The D-backs drop to 18-22, and will look to avoid a sweep in Baltimore tomorrow. Game time is 10:35 AM Arizona time.