Record: 14-9. Pace: 99-63. Change on 2016: +3.
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has been on an offensive tear lately and that hot streak continued on Wednesday evening against the visiting San Diego Padres. Goldy went 3 for 4 with three RBI's but Arizona's bullpen blew a win in a 8-5 loss to to San Diego.
With the Diamondbacks holding onto a 5-3 lead in the ninth Arizona stopper Fernando Rodney surrendered five-runs and in the process ended their two game winning streak.
Rodney: "Sometimes it's difficult to get three outs." pic.twitter.com/6lEhN5Az6p
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) April 27, 2017
Despite the loss, Arizona has won five out of their last seven games and are 14-9 this season.
As is the norm lately the Diamondbacks' offense was started by America's First Baseman. Goldschmidt got Arizona on the scoreboard first with an RBI single in the first that scored A.J. Pollock.
In the bottom of the third Goldy lined a single of the leg of Padres' starting pitcher Trevor Cahill and scored Pollock again to make it 2-0. Jake Lamb followed with an RBI single and a Chris Owings' fielder's choice made it a 4-0 lead after three innings.
San Diego's Erick Aybar nailed his second homerun of the season, both are against Arizona, in the fourth inning. Starting pitcher Trevor Cahill heaped his cause by with an RBI double to make it 4-2 in the fourth. Goldy though extended the Diamondbacks' lead with an RBI double that scored David Peralta.
Goldschmidt now has two or more RBI's in the last five-games, which is a team record. He also reached base in nine consecutive plate-appearances, tying the franchise best, before popping out in the ninth inning.
Starting in place of an injured Shelby Miller, Zack Godley was solid going five-innings and surrendered two earned runs while striking six Padres. However, after the game, he was immediately optioned back to Reno; since the D-backs have an off-day Monday, the club could go without needing a fifth starter again until a week Saturday.
Arizona reliever Archie Bradley was strong with one earned run in three innings of long relief, with five strikeouts.
Former Diamondback Cahill was less than impressive for San Diego after surrendering five earned runs in 5.2 innings pitched.
A.J. Pollock each had three hits and scored two runs, while David Peralta reached base safely all five times he was up, with two hits and a trio of walks.
Lovullo: "A frustrating ending to a pretty well-pitched night." pic.twitter.com/eI6Kxs1GUe
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) April 27, 2017
The Diamondbacks are now 6-2 during their current 10-game homestand. Tonight's attendance at Chase Field was a miserable 12,215, easily the lowest in franchise history. The previous worst was set last year, when 14,110 were there for a July 5th game - also against San Diego.
Arizona and San Diego close out their series tomorrow at Chase Field. Taijuan Walker is expected to take the mound for the Diamondbacks against the Padres' Jered Weaver. The game is scheduled to start at 6:40 p.m. (Pacific)
Bells and whistles
[Click for details, at Fangraphs.com]
Bruce Lee: Paul Goldschmidt, +24.6%
Jet Li: Bradley, +14.1; Godley, +12.5%; Pollock, +11.6%;
Lee Harvey Oswald: Fernando Rodney, -87.8%
Brenda Lee: Yasmany Tomas, -16.0%
If that Rodney WP stands on B-R.com tomorrow, it will be worst by a D-back in over nine years, since April 2008, when Brandon Lyon came in to a 5-3 lead in Cincinnati, and went single, single, homer.
I left the GDT when it was happy. I daren't go back. Present were: AzRattler, BenSharp, DbacksAbroad, Diamondhacks, FormerlyChelsea75, GuruB, Hazzard21, I suppose I'm a Pessimist, Jackwriter, Jim McLennan, JoeCB1991, JoeyLewis, Keegan Thompson, Makakilo, Michael McDermott, MrMrrbi, Oldenschoole, Skii, SongBird, Sprankton, TylerO, Xerostomia, aldma, asteroid, blue_bulldog, coldblueAZ, dbacks13, deerhaven, ford.williams.10, hotclaws, luckycc, makattack71, noblevillain, onedotfive, since_98 and smartplays. Comment of the Night to hotclaws, for her suggestion about what to do if Trevor Cahill throws a shutout against us:
We'll see if we can avoid a fate like tonight's tomorrow, with Taijuan Walker starting for us, and going up against Jered Weaver, with first pitch at 6:40pm.