FanPost

Diamondbacks 3, Cubs 2: Return of the Dbacks

Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Record: 43-56. Pace: 70-92. Change on 2013/2010: -8/+6.

On a day filled with Star Wars Theme Music, Bad Photoshop Jobs, and Lightsabers the Dbacks pull a 3-2 winner against the Chicago Cubs. Jedi Master/Starting Pitcher Josh Collmenter pitched 7 strong innings for the victory and timing hitting late by the Dbacks results in the first home sweep of the season.

Star Wars Day at the Ballpark kicked off with a lengthy parade on the warning track. After that, Josh Collmenter took on the mound on his Bobblehead Day for those who made the special purchase for those bobbleheads. Early on it was a stalemate, with Sith Lord Jake Arrieta and Josh Collmenter locked in a lightsaber/pitcher's duel. Neither pitcher allowed a run in the first 5 innings. Then in the top of the 6th, Anthony Rizzo launched a missile half way up the right bleachers. Given the way that Arrieta was pitching, that might have been enough for the Cubs to avoid the sweep.

In the bottom of the 6th, the Dbacks had finally solved Arrieta. After shutting the lineup down the first two times up, Ender Inciarte and David Peralta had erased the Cubs lead in a two-pitch span with back-to-back doubles off the left field wall. After a Goldschmidt ground out to the right side, Arrieta "unintentionally intentionally" walked Montero to put runners at the corners before one of the most bizzare plays I've seen occurred.

Aaron Hill on the first pitch popped a foul ball that looked destined to fall into the Cubs dugout, but Anthony Rizzo showing off his All-Star skills made a terrific catch reaching over the railing. Then he tumbled into the Cubs dugout, as he gave every inch to snare that would-be foul ball, which resulted in both the ball and himself to end up out of play and a run for the Dbacks. You can have the catch and webgem Mr. Rizzo, the Dbacks will take the run. Given that the final margin was one run, I wonder if he has any regrets about that run scoring.

After that, Arrieta had gotten two quick outs to start the 7th and the Dbacks elected to send up "All-Or-Nothing" Slugger Mark Trumbo. At that point, fatigue set in for Arrieta as he threw 5 pitches out of the zone to Trumbo to put him on base. That was it for Arrieta, who pitched pretty well, but it was evident that it wasn't his best game on the mound. The Cubs, playing match-ups went with the left-handed reliever James Russell to face Inciarte and Peralta. One fatal flaw that Cubs Manager overlooked was that Russell has bad history against the Dbacks this season (Blown Save in April, gave up a run last night because his catcher got greedy on a bunt attempt).

On the first pitch of the AB, Trumbo took off for 2nd and was called out by 2nd base umpire Cory Blaser (Same Ump who ejected Prado and Gibby on Friday). At live speed, Trumbo was already starting to pop-up at the base when Alcantara applied the tag and everyone in the ballpark knew it. As expected, the call was overturned at second. Then Inciarte hit a swinging bunt to 3rd and legged it out to put runners on the corners for David Peralta, who seems to get two hits in almost every game.

Peralta jumped to a 2-1 count before lining a fastball into right field to give the Dbacks a well-needed insurance run. Another pitching change later and a long AB by Goldschmidt that resulted in Goldschmidt driving the ball to the warning track in center field. Unfortunately, Ryan Sweeney, an OF who has made tons of highlight reel grabs in his careers, made another one to keep the Dbacks from blowing the game open.

Dbacks had a lead after 7, and that usually means Brad Ziegler and his side-arm style/bent-over overhand (whatever you want to call it) delivery is in the game. Ziegler got pinch hitter Justin Ruggiano to hit a routine grounder to Hill for out #1. Then it got a bit dicey after that as he allowed back-to-back doubles to Chris Coghlan and Arismendy Alcantara to cut the lead to 1 and Anthony Rizzo at the plate. Rizzo grounded out to his superior and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt for out #2. Next up was Starlin Castro who on the first pitch swung so hard that he spun around and fell down. The next pitch was a high fly ball to the Fly Ball Ender.

Dbacks went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 8th, and Addison Reed was due for a 1-run save in the 9th. After an intro that featured flashing lights and flames, Reed started off the inning with a 92 mph fastball that made a loud pop in Montero's glove. Later in the AB he froze Valbuena on a 93-mph fastball on the outside black for out #1. Ryan Sweeney and Nate Schierholtz then hit two fly balls to Inciarte in center and Reed recorded his 23rd save of the season. Only in baseball that your most dependable reliever gets tagged for a run and your heart attacking-inducing closer pitches a perfect 9th in a 1-run game.

I know it's the Cubs and they are destined for another Top-5 pick next year, but a win is a win is a win and the first sweep for the Dbacks at Chase Field this season.

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[Click to enlarge, at fangraphs.com]
Jedi Master (who else?) : Josh Collmenter, 24.4%
Jedi Knights: David Peralta, +21.9%
Young Padawans: Reed, +15.4%; Hill, +11.5%
Jar Jar: Gerardo Parra, -10.8%

Bells and whistles

A brisk GDT, falling just short of 500. DbacksSkins something something Force, ahead of JoeCB1991 and GuruB, with the following also being seen: AzDbackfanInDc, Circa4life, Daredevilish, Diamondhacks, Jim McLennan, Makakilo, Marc Fournier, MrMrrbi, Paulnh, Rockkstarr12, SebSwo, asteroid, benhat, cheese1213, hotclaws, onedotfive, preston.salisbury and xmet. Comment of the thread to 'skins, after a Parra strikeout.

Team player

he was just trying to prevent Martin Prado from GIDP

The footshooting will continue until the record improves.

by DbacksSkins on Jul 20, 2014 | 1:47 PM up reply rec (3) flag actions