Recaps
[dbacks.com] Jake Lamb leads D-backs in win over Mariners - Ray became the first D-backs pitcher to allow a run in the last three games but kept his opponent under three runs for the third time in four starts. The 23-year-old lefty struck out the last two hitters he faced to finish with eight, tying a season high. "Everything was working," Ray said. "The fastball, I was able to locate it tonight, and my slider was able to come around and work for me. I was able to throw it in some big counts."
[AZ Central]: Diamondbacks keep composure to beat Mariners - The Diamondbacks’ pitchers entered the day with a scoreless innings streak of 18 after back-to-back shutout victories over the Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend. Ray tossed four more scoreless innings, extended the stretch to 22, which tied for the fourth-longest stretch in club history. The longest was 31 scoreless innings set in 2002.
[Arizona Sports] Lamb returns home and helps Diamondbacks win - Without closer Brad Ziegler, who wasn't available to pitch after closing out games on Saturday and Sunday, the D-backs couldn't close the deal in the ninth. Daniel Hudson started the inning, but was replaced by Oliver Perez to face a left-handed hitter with a runner on second base and two outs. Perez walked Logan Morrison before Mike Zunino tied the game for the Mariners with a single. The D-backs loaded the bases with one out on a pair of walks and a hit by pitch in the tenth before Lamb's game-winning sacrifice fly off former D-back Vidal Nuno.
[AP] Lamb, D-backs survive Mariners in 10 innings - Lamb, a Seattle native, left 50 tickets for family and estimated he had 90 total supporters in the stands at Safeco Field to see his first professional game at home. "I was pretty nervous that first inning, but after that first (at-bat) I took some good pitches, got the walk and that kind of locked me in," Lamb said. "It slowed down and I was able to really enjoy the moment and that was awesome." Arizona manager Chip Hale said. "When you give up a lead, to have them tie it in the bottom of the ninth, it's tough. For our guys to come right back against their closer and create a run was huge. It shows how resilient they are."
Team news
[Arizona Sports] Hall: Team won't sacrifice depth for a 'right now' player - "If we're going to do something," Hall said, "it's going to be for a player who is under control, a player who we think can help impact us, not so much this year but next year and the year after that and the year after that." He added that keeping the D-backs' youth is a high priority. "We have finally set ourselves up where we do have depth and we don't want to get rid of that again, we've made that mistake in the past... We can't just empty the cupboard again because we spent so much time trying to restock it."
[AZ Central] Stewart exploring market for starting pitching - "I don’t know if it’s better to address it at the winter meetings or now," Stewart said. "We have to sit down and figure out when would be the best time to address it." He checked in with the Philadelphia Phillies to explore the asking price for left-hander Cole Hamels, which, in Stewart’s estimation, is probably too steep for the Diamondbacks. And he said he’s surveyed the remaining landscape to determine the rest of the controllable starting-pitching options. But, he said, he has yet to figure out if any of them are realistic targets in terms of their trade cost.
[dbacks.com] D-backs catcher Saltalamacchia comes off DL - "No one likes going on the DL, especially this time of the year when guys are grinding and battling," Saltalamacchia said. "It's tough because guys might need some rest, but I'm back now so it's time to get back to work... The first game [after the break] I felt good and probably could have played, but there's always that chance that it gets worse. It was probably the right thing to [wait] and obviously we had to make moves as a team."
[Arizona Sports] Diamondbacks trade J.C. Ramirez to Mariners - The Arizona Diamondbacks announced that they have traded relief pitcher J.C. Ramirez to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for cash considerations. Ramirez pitched in 12 games with the D-backs this season, posting a 1-1 record with a 4.12 ERA. He struck-out 11 hitters in 15.1 innings pitched. The right-handed thrower has been with Triple-A Reno since making his last appearance for the team on June 8.
[AZ Central] Swanson hit in face during simulated game - Swanson suffered a mild concussion and required 14 stitches on the right side of his mouth, farm director Mike Bell said. But he managed to keep his wits about him in the moments after the incident. Bell said Swanson is recovering well, showing no "concussive symptoms," and he hopes the shortstop prospect will be cleared to resume baseball activities in the coming days. Once that happens, Bell said he expects Swanson should be able to start playing in actual minor-league games within a week to 10 days.
[Missoulian] Meet Isan Diaz: O's shortstop sets tone at plate - an interesting interview with one of our prospects. "Last year I struggled, which put me down. I never really realized what it is to struggle in the game. It took me a while to understand what that feeling is. Now I know what it is to fail. I think there's still more failure to come throughout my career. Now I have a little bit more awareness of how to handle it and try to make adjustments throughout that."
[dbacks.com] Seattle native Lamb is a homecoming hero - Lamb said as far as he knows, about 80 friends and family members will come to the ballpark while he's in Seattle. He said it won't be difficult to focus and he enjoys having so many people come to watch him play, but Lamb is leaving the logistics to his parents. "I'm happy to be here and everything, but at the same time, I told my mom and dad this yesterday, 'When I get to the field, I don't want to be answering texts or calls,'" Lamb said with a laugh. "'You guys have to handle tickets and all that stuff. You kind of forget, but I still have a job to do. I still have a game to play.'"
And, elsewhere...
Sales of eye-black in Colorado just imploded, with the news that Troy Tulowitzki has been dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays for Jose Reyes, pitching prospects Miguel Castro and Jeff Hoffman, and another minor leaguer not named at the midnight time of writing. Most D-backs fans will be happy to see Troy-boy depart the National League West, not least because among active players, only Adrian Gonzalez and Matt Kemp have hit more home-runs against the Diamondbacks. If the Rockies also dump Carlos Gonzalez, we'll know they are in full-on fire sale mode.
While certainly the biggest name on the move yesterday, Tulowitzki was certainly not the only one, with Shane Victorino and Tyler Clippard also moving, going to the Angels and Mets respectively. The Padres appear to be in sell-mode, with rumors suggesting Justin Upton has been offered to Baltimore, and Craig Kimbrel to the Nationals and Yankees, depending on who you believe. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are reported - and you may want to sit down before reading this - to be listening to offers for Yasiel Puig. Do you think a gently-used Yasmany Tomas jock-strap would be an overpay?
And, finally. This was embarrassing. "The Delmarva Shorebirds, the Baltimore Orioles, single-A minor league team, lost in brutal fashion when they were denied the go-ahead runs on a 9th inning home run. Down 3-4 to the Augusta Greenjackets, the San Francisco Giants' minor league team, in the top of the ninth, Shorebirds outfielder Elier Leyva hit a two-run home run to put the Shorebirds up one. However, upon rounding the bases and trotting to home plate, Levya skipped right over home plate, never actually touching it and scoring the run. In extras, the Greenjackets hit a walk-off single to win 5-4." Video is in the link: yep, he skips home-plate. He won't be allowed to forget it, I bet.