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The Diamondbacks went into the game just looking to right their ship. Losers of 5 straight, they were facing a tough customer in Matt Harvey, and the young right-hander did not disappoint in the early inning.
Randall Delgado took the bump for the D-backs, and outside of a bumpy 4th inning, he was a refreshing surprise. That 4th inning, though, brought nightmarish visions to all Arizonans who watched, as he gave up 2 home runs in the inning. The first solo shot was powered out by David Wright, who took a calf-high ball and tattooed it to left. Josh Satin stepped up two batters later and hit his own solo home run, and it gave the home team a 2 run lead.
It felt insurmountable at the time, but we should have better faith. Our despair might have been justified given how the D-backs offense went, or more specifically didn't go, in the first few frames. Arizona had bases loaded with only one out in the first, looking to score early, and of course Martin Prado hit into a double play to end the threat. After that it was all strikeouts and fielder's choices.
Then the D-backs entered the top of the 6th, and suddenly everything seemed different. Miguel Montero worked a walk, part of a 2 hit and 2 walk game, then Martin Prado got on with a single. This set the table for Cody Ross, who summoned the dark magick to get a home run just over the left field fence to give a lead that Arizona wouldn't give up.
They made it more stressful then it needed to be, with David Hernandez giving up a homer and a ground rule double back-to-back in the bottom of the 8th. He got the final out, though, and Heath Bell came into close things out. It was a surprisingly stress-free affair for Bell, and even though he gave up a two out single, he got Andrew Brown to flyout harmlessly to center to secure the save and the win.
It wasn't the most predictable of results. Who'd have thought the D-backs would end their slide against Matt Harvey of all pitchers? Well, you know what they say (over and over): can't predict ball.
Full recap to follow.