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In the preview, I talked about the team needing to play sound fundamental baseball and take advantage of their opportunities. This game was virtually the poster child for the opposite. Daniel Descalso and Nick Ahmed both failed to make plays, though particularly charitable home-town scoring labeled neither an error. Zack Greinke was unable to pitch out of trouble, though didn’t help his own cause with a lot of hard-hit balls. He lasted only five innings, scattering 10 hits and three walks with four strikeouts, and was charged with five earned runs. Tom Wilhelmsen, Randall Delgado and Andrew Chafin also pitched, Delgado allowing a two-run homer.
Meanwhile, Clayton Kershaw was impeccable until the ninth. Our only chance to score before then came with one out in the fourth, when Chris Owings singled, Paul Goldschmidt walked - the first issued by Kershaw this year - and both advanced on a wild pitch. But Yasmany Tomas struck out and Brandon Drury grounded out. The D-backs were one-hit through seven innings. They got a one-out single by Nick Ahmed in the eighth (he was immediately erased on a double-play), before a lead-off single by Chris Iannetta in the ninth came around to score on an Owings’ double. That chased Kershaw, so I guess at least we denied him the complete-game shutout?
Beercap to follow. I hope there’s enough beer.