Arizona Diamondbacks 5, Chicago White Sox 6: No magnificent seven

Record: 9-8. Change on 2017: 0.

There was not a single really big inning to blame this afternoon, but the winning streak ended in death by a thousand cuts, as the White Sox scored each time up from the second inning through the sixth inclusive. That dug the D-backs into a 6-0 deficit: while the bats showed up in a five-run seventh, they weren’t able to push across the tally which would at least have kept the undefeated streak alive. Patrick Corbin started, and allowed three runs over four innings. After a clean first, he gave up a homer in the second, then RBI hits in the third and fourth. But he did manage to escape with the the bases loaded in that final frame, issuing consecutive two-out walks after the RBI single.

Silvino Bracho took over, and his long-ball problems are still ongoing, with a two-run shot in the fifth inning. While he has struck out nine over his six spring innings, he has also allowed four home-runs. Yoshihisa Hirano was also taken deep, by Yoan Moncada in the sixth inning. Not quite sure what to make of him yet: he has been tagged for six hits and three runs in four innings, but he hasn’t walked anyone yet. Few things are more annoying than relievers who walk people, personally! Jorge De La Rosa helped to extinguish a fire started by Fernando Salas in the seventh, and Michael Blasek tossed the final inning needed, working a 1-2-3 eighth with a pair of strikeouts.

After loading the bases in the first, Nick Ahmed coming up empty, there was not much doing for the Arizona offense through the front six innings. They sent the minimum dozen to the plate from the third through the sixth, with the only base-runner (a Jarrod Dyson single) being erased by a double-play. The first five Arizona hitters then all reached in the fifth inning, and they eventually came around to score, with Jeremy Hazelbaker’s two-run double the main blow. The Diamondbacks got the tying run into scoring position with two outs, but Jack Reinheimer flew out to center. Cody Decker ended the game with the tying run on third, striking out.

Dyson led the offense literally and figuratively, getting on base three times out of the lead-off spot, with two hits and a walk. Christian Walker continued his good spring with a pair of knocks, while Rey Fuentes singled and walked. Back to Salt River Fields tomorrow, for a game against the Rockies. Yeah, them again... :) Kris Medlen is the scheduled starter there.