It's not often a team can say they win a ball game when their starter goes just 2.2 innings, giving up six runs in the process. But when the six relievers after that starter is pulled throw up zeroes for the rest of the game, it gives the team a chance. The Diamondbacks, led by eight combined RBI off the bats of Martin Prado and Nick Evans, battled back and won the game in extras to even the series up at one.
Aaron Hill led the game off with a long and loud single to left field off the wall and Martin Prado walked to make it two runners on for Paul Goldschmidt. He got to a great hitters count at 3-1, but two straight well-placed changeups put him away swinging. At least Mark Trumbo stepped up and delivered a hit with the runner in scoring position for the first run of the game – something he couldn’t do last night. Parra was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Tuffy Gosewisch popped out in foul territory to end the inning.
Josh Collmenter got into a bit of trouble in the bottom of the first after a double off the bat of Jimmy Rollins, but he ended up striking out the side to avoid any damage done.
It wasn’t quite the same story in the second for Collmenter, however. The Phillies did the brunt of their work then. Cody Asche hit a two-run home run to right field, and Rollins had his second double of the day off the wall to score another. And to cap the inning off, Chase Utley smoked a ball between first and second to score Philly’s fourth run and push the lead to 4-1.
Martin Prado diminished the lead by one with a home run of his own to left field, on an 0-2 pitch no less. Although the D-backs had threatened with more runners on base, one in scoring position with just one out, Gerardo Parra struck out looking and Gosewisch flied out to go away quietly with only one scored in the inning.
A little more of the same in the bottom of the third for the Phillies against Collmenter. Marlon Byrd wasted no time and parked one over the fence in left to get back the run Prado scored. Carlos Ruiz hit a double in the gap, and was then singled home by CLIFF LEE – who’s actually not all that bad of a hitting pitcher. Regardless, it was just one of those days for Collmenter.
Prado struck again with another RBI in the top of the fourth to get the deficit back to three runs.
After a scoreless inning for each team, the D-backs were back in business in the sixth. Ender Inciarte pinch hit for a double to lead the inning off, and Aaron Hill was hit by a fastball on his right hand to set the stage for Prado. With runners on, Prado delivered a double to left center to score both runners and pull within one of the Phillies. Although Prado was moved to third with one out, both Mark Trumbo and Alfredo Marte struck out swinging to keep the score 6-5 in favor of the Phillies.
Oliver Perez came in after De La Rosa and picked up where he left off, tossing up a scoreless sixth and sending Arizona back up to the plate. Once again, for the second inning in a row, the D-backs scored in the seventh. Inciarte hit a weak ground ball with runners on second and third, but it got the job done to tie the game up at six.
In extras, Inciarte, one of the unsung heroes of the game, started it off with a bunt to the right side. Didi Gregorious followed that up with a double down the line to give Prado yet another RBI situation to work with. He didn't hesitate to deliver as he hit the sacrifice fly to give the D-backs the lead. Nick Evans -- who's not in Japan yet -- hit a three-run, pinch-hit home run to effectively put the game away. Addison Reed made it final in the bottom half.
Source: FanGraphs
Martin Prado 45.2%
Nick Evans 14.3%
Ender Inciarte 12.8%
Josh Collmenter -43.5%
In the rubber match of the series tomorrow, Vidal Nuno toes the rubber against Roberto Hernandez.
GDT: Congrats to freeland!
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