Diamondbacks 3, Mets 2: Pollock not bollocks

In this first of four games against the NY Mets (everyone’s favorite Baseball Squadron) Robert Gsellman (whose last name is a compound word of what the Mets should do: “Gee, sell, man!”) started for the Mets against Taijuan Walker.

After multiple jams-gotten-out-of by Walker in first third of the game, the Diamondbacks struck first on a J.D. Martinez RBI single that scored Jake Lamb.

That 1-0 score held for... awhile. Walker pitched effectively, working out of a lot of defensive clanking and miscue created jams, he was pulled at 93 pitches after 5 and ¹⁄₃ innings, giving up 0 runs on seven hits, one walk, and four strikeouts.

Jorge De La Rosa came in with a runner on second in the 6th. He struck out Dominic Smith, and then David Hernandez came into the game to face some righties. After an infield single, he got a groundout to end the threat and keep the score 1-0.

Jeff Mathis left the game after taking a foul ball off of his throwing hand, he is listed as day-to-day with a right hand contusion.

Andrew Chafin came in for the 7th and immediately (well, after a couple of pitches) gave up a leadoff double to Travis d’Arnaud. Brandon Nimmo bunted him over to bring a runner on third with one out. Archie Bradley came into the game at this point. He walked Asdrubal Cabrera and Michael Conforto to load the bases.

Yoenis Cespedes singled past Jake Lamb to score one, but David Peralta cut down Asdrubal Cabrera at the plate to keep it tied after a review. (Note to baserunners, you should try touching the plate with your lead foot, seems to help.)

Not that the Diamondbacks could capitalize on not losing. A leadoff walk for Jake Lamb in the following inning was erased by a Goldy double play. Bradley returned to pitch a scoreless 8th inning. A fruitless 9th on offense yielded the way for Jimmie Sherfy to make his second career appearance. He pitched a 1-2-3 inning we were... rewarded? with free baseball.

In the 10th, Gregor Blanco got a leadoff walk off of Erik Goeddel. He moved over on a groundout by Gregor Blanco. That didn’t matter, because A.J. Pollock hit what was hopefully a slumpbusting two-run jack to center to make the score 3-1.

Fernando Rodney came in for the save opportunity... and immediately gave up a leadoff homer to Michael Conforto. Afterwards, he got Cespedes to pop out, Wilmer Flores to ground out after an 11-pitch at bat. Dominic Smith also popped up and the Diamondbacks snapped the losing streak!

Total Eclipse: Pollock (+26.4%), Walker (+24.7%)

Staring at the Sun: Goldy (-21.5%)

Since this is just a hitting/pitching thing, Peralta’s throw to nail Cabrera wasn’t at +24335356% like it should have been. Ah well.

This win also moved the Diamondbacks to a half game behind the Rockies for the first Wild Card, keeping the dream of having Chase Field host the game very much alive despite the recent skid.

Patrick Corbin will take on Tommy Milone tomorrow, presuming the latter doesn’t contract Space Rickets or whatever new malady infects Mets pitchers.