DENVER -- The Arizona Diamondbacks swept the Los Angeles Dodgers this week, so a battle with Colorado for wild-card supremacy didn't intimidate them.
Taijuan Walker struck out a career-high 10, Daniel Descalso homered and surging Arizona started a key weekend series with a 9-5 victory over the Rockies on Friday night.
The Diamondbacks won their eighth straight and increased their lead to 4 1/2 games over the Rockies for the first NL wild-card spot. They showed they weren't satisfied sweeping the best team in baseball by jumping out early on Colorado and cruising to the win.
"We've
been able to score early lately and it's always better to play when
you're ahead than when you have to chase," Descalso said.
The Rockies' once comfortable cushion for the second wild card has disappeared after they lost for the third time in four games. Milwaukee beat Washington on Friday to pull within 1 1/2 games of Colorado for the second wild card.
Colorado, which struck out 12 times, is hitting .159 with runners in scoring position in the last 10 games, including 1 of 13 Friday.
"It has been that way in a few games," DJ LeMahieu said.
Walker (8-7) lasted only five innings due to a high pitch count, but he made big pitches when it counted. He struck out Carlos Gonzalez on a 77 mph curveball to end the first inning with the bases loaded and got Mark Reynolds looking with two on in the second.
"The curveball felt really good," Walker said. "We noticed that early so we kept throwing it and we got some good swings and misses."
Arizona scored runs in the first three innings off starter Kyle Freeland (11-9), including Walker's RBI single to first that made it 2-0. Arizona blew it open in the seventh when Colorado committed three errors and Descalso hit a three-run homer, his ninth, off Mike Dunn to go up 9-2.
"It was a tough inning," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "We didn't really bobble any ball. We had a throw into center field, Mark tried to make a play on the errant pickoff play."
The Rockies scored twice in the sixth off reliever David Hernandez and three more times in the seventh. They stranded 12 runners.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Diamondbacks: The team released RHP Rubby De La Rosa to make room on the 40-man roster. De La Rosa underwent Tommy John Surgery on Aug. 21 after appearing in nine games this season.
SWING SHIFT
The Diamondbacks took the defensive shift theory to the extreme when LeMahieu came to bat. Arizona, using its statistical analysis, put all three outfielders in right and center fields, leaving left wide open for the 2016 NL batting champ.
"Dave McKay presented that to me pregame," manager Torey Lovullo said of his first base coach. "It's a super shift times 10. You've never seen anything like it. He's a guy that uses that side of the field very extensively and successfully, and we wanted to take away the dominant lanes."
LeMahieu beat the shift with a double down the rightfield line in the first for his only hit of the game. He led off the fifth with a fly to left but center fielder A.J. Pollock ran it down.
Walker didn't notice the outfield was shifted so far over.
"I'm definitely glad I didn't know because I would really have been pressing to throw pitches away," he said. "If he would have pulled the ball it would have been an inside-the-park home run."
FAN NIGHT
Walker recorded the first eight outs by strikeout, becoming the second Diamondbacks pitcher to do it. Dan Haren got the first nine outs by strikeout against the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 11, 2010.
He's the third pitcher in Arizona history to strike out 10 in five innings or less.
MORE THE MERRIER
Both teams bolstered their benches with September call-ups Friday. Arizona added RHPs Silvino Bracho, Braden Shipley and J.J. Hoover, C John Ryan Murphy and OF Kristopher Negron from Triple-A Reno. The pitchers have all appeared in a game this season for the Diamondbacks, while Murphy, a veteran of two major league teams, and Negron, have not played for Arizona.
The Rockies recalled RHPs Carlos Est�vez and Jeff Hoffman, LHP Zac Rosscup, INF Ryan McMahon, C Tom Murphy and OF Mike Tauchman from Triple-A Albuquerque. All six have appeared on Colorado's roster this season.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: LHP Patrick Corbin (12-11, 3.91 ERA) is 4-0 with a 0.30 ERA in his last four starts.
Rockies: RHP Jon Gray (6-3, 4.18 ERA) is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in three career starts against the Diamondbacks.
Taijuan Walker struck out a career-high 10, Daniel Descalso homered and surging Arizona started a key weekend series with a 9-5 victory over the Rockies on Friday night.
The Diamondbacks won their eighth straight and increased their lead to 4 1/2 games over the Rockies for the first NL wild-card spot. They showed they weren't satisfied sweeping the best team in baseball by jumping out early on Colorado and cruising to the win.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Rockies' once comfortable cushion for the second wild card has disappeared after they lost for the third time in four games. Milwaukee beat Washington on Friday to pull within 1 1/2 games of Colorado for the second wild card.
Colorado, which struck out 12 times, is hitting .159 with runners in scoring position in the last 10 games, including 1 of 13 Friday.
"It has been that way in a few games," DJ LeMahieu said.
Walker (8-7) lasted only five innings due to a high pitch count, but he made big pitches when it counted. He struck out Carlos Gonzalez on a 77 mph curveball to end the first inning with the bases loaded and got Mark Reynolds looking with two on in the second.
"The curveball felt really good," Walker said. "We noticed that early so we kept throwing it and we got some good swings and misses."
Arizona scored runs in the first three innings off starter Kyle Freeland (11-9), including Walker's RBI single to first that made it 2-0. Arizona blew it open in the seventh when Colorado committed three errors and Descalso hit a three-run homer, his ninth, off Mike Dunn to go up 9-2.
"It was a tough inning," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "We didn't really bobble any ball. We had a throw into center field, Mark tried to make a play on the errant pickoff play."
The Rockies scored twice in the sixth off reliever David Hernandez and three more times in the seventh. They stranded 12 runners.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Diamondbacks: The team released RHP Rubby De La Rosa to make room on the 40-man roster. De La Rosa underwent Tommy John Surgery on Aug. 21 after appearing in nine games this season.
SWING SHIFT
The Diamondbacks took the defensive shift theory to the extreme when LeMahieu came to bat. Arizona, using its statistical analysis, put all three outfielders in right and center fields, leaving left wide open for the 2016 NL batting champ.
"Dave McKay presented that to me pregame," manager Torey Lovullo said of his first base coach. "It's a super shift times 10. You've never seen anything like it. He's a guy that uses that side of the field very extensively and successfully, and we wanted to take away the dominant lanes."
LeMahieu beat the shift with a double down the rightfield line in the first for his only hit of the game. He led off the fifth with a fly to left but center fielder A.J. Pollock ran it down.
Walker didn't notice the outfield was shifted so far over.
"I'm definitely glad I didn't know because I would really have been pressing to throw pitches away," he said. "If he would have pulled the ball it would have been an inside-the-park home run."
FAN NIGHT
Walker recorded the first eight outs by strikeout, becoming the second Diamondbacks pitcher to do it. Dan Haren got the first nine outs by strikeout against the Los Angeles Dodgers on May 11, 2010.
He's the third pitcher in Arizona history to strike out 10 in five innings or less.
MORE THE MERRIER
Both teams bolstered their benches with September call-ups Friday. Arizona added RHPs Silvino Bracho, Braden Shipley and J.J. Hoover, C John Ryan Murphy and OF Kristopher Negron from Triple-A Reno. The pitchers have all appeared in a game this season for the Diamondbacks, while Murphy, a veteran of two major league teams, and Negron, have not played for Arizona.
The Rockies recalled RHPs Carlos Est�vez and Jeff Hoffman, LHP Zac Rosscup, INF Ryan McMahon, C Tom Murphy and OF Mike Tauchman from Triple-A Albuquerque. All six have appeared on Colorado's roster this season.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: LHP Patrick Corbin (12-11, 3.91 ERA) is 4-0 with a 0.30 ERA in his last four starts.
Rockies: RHP Jon Gray (6-3, 4.18 ERA) is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in three career starts against the Diamondbacks.
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Arizona - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Kyle Freeland pitching for Colorado | ARI | COL |
| Peralta walked. | 0 | 0 |
| Peralta to second on wild pitch by Freeland. | 0 | 0 |
| Iannetta walked. | 0 | 0 |
| Pollock singled to left, Peralta scored, Iannetta to second. | 1 | 0 |
| Goldschmidt flied out to center. | 1 | 0 |
| Martinez grounded into double play, third to first, Iannetta out at third. | 1 | 0 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Taijuan Walker pitching for Arizona | ARI | COL |
| Blackmon struck out swinging. | 1 | 0 |
| LeMahieu doubled to right. | 1 | 0 |
| Arenado struck out swinging. | 1 | 0 |
| Reynolds walked. | 1 | 0 |
| Desmond walked, LeMahieu to third, Reynolds to second. | 1 | 0 |
| González struck out swinging. | 1 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Arizona - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Kyle Freeland pitching for Colorado | ARI | COL |
| Drury singled to left. | 1 | 0 |
| Lamb struck out swinging. | 1 | 0 |
| Rosales doubled to deep right center, Drury to third. | 1 | 0 |
| Walker reached on infield single to first, Drury scored. | 2 | 0 |
| Peralta grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, Walker out at second. | 2 | 0 |
| 1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Taijuan Walker pitching for Arizona | ARI | COL |
| Lucroy struck out swinging. | 2 | 0 |
| Story struck out swinging. | 2 | 0 |
| Freeland struck out swinging. | 2 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Arizona - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Kyle Freeland pitching for Colorado | ARI | COL |
| Iannetta flied out to right. | 2 | 0 |
| Pollock tripled to deep left center. | 2 | 0 |
| Goldschmidt walked. | 2 | 0 |
| Martinez hit sacrifice fly to right, Pollock scored. | 3 | 0 |
| Drury struck out looking. | 3 | 0 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Taijuan Walker pitching for Arizona | ARI | COL |
| Blackmon singled to right. | 3 | 0 |
| LeMahieu struck out looking. | 3 | 0 |
| Arenado reached first base on catcher's interference, Blackmon to second. | 3 | 0 |
| Reynolds struck out looking. | 3 | 0 |
| Desmond grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Arenado out at second. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Arizona - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Kyle Freeland pitching for Colorado | ARI | COL |
| Lamb struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| Rosales grounded out to shortstop. | 3 | 0 |
| Walker struck out looking. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Taijuan Walker pitching for Arizona | ARI | COL |
| González doubled to deep left. | 3 | 0 |
| Lucroy grounded out to third. | 3 | 0 |
| Story flied out to center, González to third. | 3 | 0 |
| Tauchman hit for Freeland. | 3 | 0 |
| Tauchman walked. | 3 | 0 |
| Blackmon lined out to left. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Arizona - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Carlos Estevez pitching for Colorado | ARI | COL |
| Estévez relieved Freeland. | 3 | 0 |
| Peralta lined out to center. | 3 | 0 |
| Iannetta singled to left. | 3 | 0 |
| Pollock struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| Goldschmidt grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Iannetta out at second. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Taijuan Walker pitching for Arizona | ARI | COL |
| LeMahieu lined out to center. | 3 | 0 |
| Arenado struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| Reynolds struck out swinging. | 3 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Arizona - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Carlos Estevez pitching for Colorado | ARI | COL |
| Martinez doubled to deep left. | 3 | 0 |
| Drury grounded out to second, Martinez to third. | 3 | 0 |
| Lamb intentionally walked. | 3 | 0 |
| Fuentes hit for Rosales. | 3 | 0 |
| Fuentes singled to right, Martinez scored, Lamb to second. | 4 | 0 |
| Marte hit for Walker. | 4 | 0 |
| Marte grounded into fielder's choice to second, Fuentes out at second, Lamb to third. | 4 | 0 |
| Rosscup relieved Estévez. | 4 | 0 |
| Peralta struck out swinging. | 4 | 0 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| David Hernandez pitching for Arizona | ARI | COL |
| Marte at shortstop. | 4 | 0 |
| Hernandez relieved Walker. | 4 | 0 |
| Desmond reached on infield single to second. | 4 | 0 |
| González doubled to deep right, Desmond scored. | 4 | 1 |
| Lucroy grounded out to second, González to third. | 4 | 1 |
| Story hit sacrifice fly to center, González scored. | 4 | 2 |
| McMahon hit for Rosscup. | 4 | 2 |
| De La Rosa relieved Hernandez. | 4 | 2 |
| McMahon walked. | 4 | 2 |
| Blackmon hit by pitch, McMahon to second. | 4 | 2 |
| Hoover relieved De La Rosa. | 4 | 2 |
| LeMahieu flied out to right. | 4 | 2 |
| 2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Arizona - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Adam Ottavino pitching for Colorado | ARI | COL |
| Ottavino relieved Rosscup. | 4 | 2 |
| Iannetta flied out to left. | 4 | 2 |
| Pollock walked. | 4 | 2 |
| Pollock stole second, Pollock safe at third on throwing error by catcher Lucroy. | 4 | 2 |
| Goldschmidt intentionally walked. | 4 | 2 |
| Pollock scored on throwing error by pitcher Ottavino, Goldschmidt safe at second on throwing error by first baseman Reynolds. | 5 | 2 |
| Martinez walked. | 5 | 2 |
| Drury struck out swinging. | 5 | 2 |
| Dunn relieved Ottavino. | 5 | 2 |
| Lamb singled to right, Goldschmidt scored, Martinez to third. | 6 | 2 |
| Descalso hit for Hoover. | 6 | 2 |
| Lamb stole second. | 6 | 2 |
| Descalso homered to right (384 feet), Martinez and Lamb scored. | 9 | 2 |
| Marte grounded out to second. | 9 | 2 |
| 5 Runs, 2 Hits, 2 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Silvino Bracho pitching for Arizona | ARI | COL |
| Bracho relieved Hoover. | 9 | 2 |
| Arenado reached on infield single to second. | 9 | 2 |
| Reynolds walked, Arenado to second. | 9 | 2 |
| Desmond walked, Arenado to third, Reynolds to second. | 9 | 2 |
| Chafin relieved Bracho. | 9 | 2 |
| González grounded out to second, Arenado scored, Reynolds to third, Desmond to second. | 9 | 3 |
| Lucroy struck out looking. | 9 | 3 |
| Story doubled to deep right, Reynolds and Desmond scored. | 9 | 5 |
| Valaika hit for Dunn. | 9 | 5 |
| Valaika lined out to right. | 9 | 5 |
| 3 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Arizona - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Scott Oberg pitching for Colorado | ARI | COL |
| Oberg relieved Dunn. | 9 | 5 |
| Peralta struck out swinging. | 9 | 5 |
| Iannetta grounded out to second. | 9 | 5 |
| Pollock lined out to center. | 9 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Andrew Chafin pitching for Arizona | ARI | COL |
| Blackmon singled to center. | 9 | 5 |
| Bradley relieved Chafin. | 9 | 5 |
| LeMahieu grounded into double play, first to shortstop to first, Blackmon out at second. | 9 | 5 |
| Arenado walked. | 9 | 5 |
| Reynolds flied out to right. | 9 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Arizona - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Scott Oberg pitching for Colorado | ARI | COL |
| Goldschmidt grounded out to shortstop. | 9 | 5 |
| Martinez struck out swinging. | 9 | 5 |
| Drury lined out to shortstop. | 9 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Colorado - Bottom of 9th | SCORE | |
| Fernando Rodney pitching for Arizona | ARI | COL |
| Negrón at second base. | 9 | 5 |
| Rodney relieved Bradley. | 9 | 5 |
| Desmond struck out swinging. | 9 | 5 |
| González walked. | 9 | 5 |
| Lucroy flied out to left. | 9 | 5 |
| Story flied out to center. | 9 | 5 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Arizona Diamondbacks | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Peralta LF | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 27 | .299 | .353 | .457 |
| Iannetta C | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | .239 | .335 | .493 |
| Pollock CF | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 18 | .267 | .327 | .460 |
| Goldschmidt 1B | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 17 | .317 | .428 | .603 |
| Martinez RF | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14 | .231 | .320 | .582 |
| Drury 2B | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18 | .269 | .318 | .446 |
Rodney P
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Lamb 3B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 16 | .257 | .364 | .511 |
| Rosales SS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | .250 | .280 | .458 |
a-Fuentes PH
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .241 | .274 | .339 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | |
Hoover P
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
c-Descalso PH
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .244 | .341 | .410 |
Bracho P
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Chafin P
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Bradley P
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Negrón 2B
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Walker P | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | .222 | .239 | .289 |
b-Marte PH-SS
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | .259 | .340 | .410 |
| Totals | 34 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 162 | |||
| a-singled to right for A Rosales in the 6th b-grounded into fielder's choice to second for T Walker in the 6th c-homered to right for J Hoover in the 7th | ||||||||||
| BATTING 2B: Rosales (4, Freeland); Martinez (6, Estévez) 3B: Pollock (6, Freeland) HR: Descalso (9, 7th inning off Dunn 2 on, 2 Out) RBI: Pollock (30), Walker (4), Martinez (30), Fuentes (7), Lamb (97), Descalso 3 (45) SF: Martinez 2-out RBI: Lamb, Descalso 3 GIDP: Martinez, Peralta Diamondbacks RISP: 5-12 (Peralta 0-2, Lamb 1-1, Pollock 1-1, Walker 1-1, Martinez 0-1, Goldschmidt 0-1, Drury 0-2, Fuentes 1-1, Marte 0-1, Descalso 1-1) Team LOB: 6 | ||||||||||
| BASERUNNING SB: Pollock (18, 2nd base off Ottavino/Lucroy); Lamb (5, 2nd base off Dunn/Lucroy) | ||||||||||
| FIELDING E: Iannetta (6, catchers interference) DP: 1 (Goldschmidt-Marte-Goldschmidt). | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Coors Field, Denver, CO |
| Attendance | 29,628 (58.8% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 3:48 |
| Weather | 84 degrees, clear |
| Wind | 6 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Brian O'Nora, First Base - Paul Emmel, Second Base - Scott Barry, Third Base - Quinn Wolcott |
No comments:
Post a Comment