Diamondbacks 5, Astros 8: Now what?

Patrick Corbin showed us what to expect early on in this one. I was haunting the Fox Sports Arizona Pre-Game show set, trying to get Brandon Webb's autograph. By the time I got to my seat, Corbin had already given up a first pitch double to George Springer. Jose Altuve reached next, but his sharply hit ground ball also hit Springer, turning him into an out. Carlos Corriea walked, moving Altuve to second. Corbin got out of this jam, thanks to Michael Bourn making a great running catch that I thought was going to go over his head and a strike out Tyler White. He wouldn't be that lucky again this afternoon.

However, the offense showed early promise in the bottom of the inning. Back-to-back-to-back singles by Bourn, Goldschmidt, and Lamb brought home the first run. Brandon Drury walked, loading the bases. Chris Herrmann grounded into a force at second, scoring Goldy, and a walk from Owings loaded the bases back up. Tomas struck out, though, ending the threat.

Corbin got two strikeouts to start the second. That's the good news. Bad news was he gave up a double, a single to AL starting pitcher, Lance McCullers Jr, and then a three run home run to Springer. Yep. That inning sure happened. 3-2 Astros.

For the third inning, Corbin kept the Astros quiet. He didn't in the fourth inning. Luis Valbuena walked to start the inning. He moved to second on a wild pitch, and Carlos Gomez reached on an infield single. Valbuena scored on a Jake Marsnick single. Silver lining, at this point Corbin got the pitcher out, unlike in the second. Bad news is he didn't get Springer, who singled to score Gomez. At this point, Hale had seen plenty and pulled Corbin in favor of Jake Barrett. First batter efficiency, a favorite topic for Tom Candiotti, came into play here, when Barrett gave up an RBI single to Altuve. Not a good start, and it didn't get better as he followed it up with a walk to Corriea. The final run in the inning came on a ground out back to the mound by Gattis, scoring Springer. 7-2 Astros.

That basically was the ball game. Both teams added a run in the fifth inning, and the Dbacks tried to stage a comeback in the bottom of the ninth, but failed when Bourn, Goldschmidt, and Lamb all struck out to end the game.

Is there more I could write about? Sure. But ultimately, it was a disheartening game to end a disheartening home series At the end of April, this was one of the series that we all pointed to and said "That's going to be one that helps us turn it around." We could go take the next two in Houston, but we needed to get the job done here at home. In my most humble opinion, something needs to be done, even if it is mostly symbolic. The have a .310 winning percentage at home, .426 on the season as a whole. Business as usual just isn't okay. I'm already at the point where I barely want to watch a game I need to recap, much less one I don't. That's a bad sign.

Source: FanGraphs

A symbolic gesture: Jake Lamb, 8.1%

Business as Usual: Patrick Corbin, -39%

Comment of the day goes to SenSurround, who was also at the game today, for this comment, which easily could be made the team slogan.

Even when things go right

Things don’t go right

"How much money can we offer Brandon Lyon without making him suspicious?"

by SenSurround on May 31, 2016 | 2:28 PM reply unrec (5) actions

21 brave souls joined the GDT. Onedotfive took first place with 40 comments. If you wanted more proof of how bad things were, AzDbacksFanInDC only placed third with 28. All present were:

AzDbackfanInDc, AzRattler, Backin'the'Backs, Diamondhacks, Gilbertsportsfan, GuruB, Jackwriter, Jim McLennan, JoeCB1991, Makakilo, Oldenschoole, Re Tired, SenSurround, coldblueAZ, ford.williams.10,hotclaws, imstillhungry95, onedotfive, piratedan7, preston.salisbury, shoewizard

Join us again tomorrow for a 5:10 Arizona time. Same two teams, but this time in Texas!