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The 2017 Arizona Diamondbacks won 93 games this season - not including the wild-card game (which is not eligible for this award, since all post-season performances are excluded). Nine of those were in extra innings. Nine of them - not necessarily the same nine - were walk-offs. 44 of them were comeback wins, where the Diamondbacks trailed. All of the 93 were memorable in their own ways, and were certainly preferable to the 69 losses! But only five can qualify as nominees for the 2017 Game of the Year. Which ones should it be?
Here, in chronological order, are some of the candidates that come to mind, together with brief notes on what made them memorable. I’m certainly open to other suggestions before we finalize the five for Wednesday’s poll, so speak up in the comments if you want to make a pitch for any other games. Or, indeed, support the candidacy of one or more of the following ten possibilities.
- April 2: 6-5 vs. SFG. Opening Day. The Giants blow three leads, Fernando Rodney makes his D-backs debut and gets the W as Arizona walks it off.
- April 30: 2-0 vs. COL. Scoreless through 12, maybe thanks to a LeMahieu body-check on Pollock, Daniel Descalso hits a pool shot homer for the walk-off in the 13th.
- May 31: 6-5 @ PIT. The season’s longest game goes 14 innings, with the D-backs blowing leads in the 9th and 11th before holding on in the 14th.
- June 21: 16-5 @ COL. The biggest offensive outburst of the season, with 20 hits and 16 runs, ten of the latter coming in one inning.
- July 21: 6-5 vs. WSN. David Peralta, A.J. Pollock and Jake Lamb go back-to-back-to-back to start the game. Against Cy Young winner Max Scherzer.
- August 3: 10-8 @ CHC. The game that wouldn’t end: three rain delays, three Goldie homers and the bullpen dance-off competition.
- August 8: 6-3 vs. LAD. Already home to Play of the Year (Lamb’s grand-slam), this also gave us Archie Bradley’s “This is OUR house” moment.
- September 4: 13-0 @ LAD. Robbie Ray pitches an awesome game, and the D-backs crush the Dodgers. Some guy called Martinez has a decent night, too. :)
- September 6: 3-1 @ LAD. The Diamondbacks take their sixth consecutive game over Los Angeles, and set a new franchise record by winning 13 in a row.
- September 24: 3-2 vs. MIA. The day where Arizona clinched their first post-season spot since 2011, and got home-field advantage in the wild-card game with a walk-off win.
A lot of great memories there. Remember, this thread is not to vote, it’s just to discuss which five games - be they taken from the above or elsewhere - will be nominated for the vote on Wednesday.