D-Backs 5, Giants 8: Will and Disgrace

I was really hoping I could just open with a joke about how much Lincecum must dread facing Paul Goldschmidt, maybe write a little bit about the two of them meeting in places outside the ballpark and having kind of awkward situations. Instead, we're looking at another series loss, one that had some good things but also twinged some worries.

Goldschmidt kept up his terrorizing of Tim Lincecum, launching a two run homer in the first to give Arizona an early lead. Trumbo joined in the fun by hitting his own 2 run dinger in the 6th. Aaron Hill didn't get a homer, but scored two runs, then got an RBI in the 7th with a double down the left field line.

Tim Lincecum has had a couple down years, and there's been some questions about whether he could ever be elite again. This game doesn't answer the question, but it does show that he might still have some in the tank. He went 6 innings and struck out 7, though the 4 runs were scored off 2 home runs. Still, he looked settled and didn't give up any walks.

Bronson Arroyo didn't fare quite as well, but he wasn't a tire fire, either. The Diamondbacks new top of the rotation pitcher only went 4 1/3 innings, giving up 2 runs on 5 hits while also walking 2. He kept Arizona in the game, certainly, but at the expense of an extended bullpen outing.

The bullpen being called on for additional work is important, see, because they would eventually give away the game. Remember on Monday when the D-backs built a 7-3 lead then proceeded to lose 9-8? Well, Will Harris came in the 8th and helped give up 5 runs to turn a 5-3 lead into a 8-5 deficit.

There might be some concern that Will Harris was the victim of a bad strike zone, and that could certainly argued. At the same time, though, pitchers know that sometimes the zone will be different or even incorrectly applied, and you have to adjust. It's unfortunate that Harris was the on getting jobbed, but he has to figure it out and get good pitches in.

Like the first 2 games of the series, it wasn't hitting that resulted in the loss. You hope that a team getting 9 hits and 5 runs, where both of the big boppers produce and others have good days, too, would result in a win. Instead, we're on the wrong side of the tally, heading off to Denver wondering what could have been.

Blackberry Pie: Aaron Hill (20.6%)

Chess Pie: Oliver Perez (13.5%), Paul Goldschmidt (11.8%)

Cow Pie: Will Harris (-80.2%)

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeash that graph. Look, we've had 4 games to kind of feel bad about ourselves, so let's just move on.

Comment of the Day goes to kishi:

Okay

Someone tell Lincecum that he needs to return that mustache to the dirty cop of a 1970s crime thriller he stole it from.

"To manufactured triumph!"

by kishi on Apr 3, 2014 | 4:01 PM reply rec (4) flag actions

Ugh, let's move on. Next series is in Denver, against Denver. We're assuming the games will be played, though FSN Arizona was just showing snowy pictures of Denver. Bring your skiing gear.