Diamondbacks 1, Cubs 9: Are we there yet?

Games until the merciful end of the season: 10

Tragic number: 5

This game was started by Matt Andriese.

The End.

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Jim and the Overlords tell me that I need at least 150 words, so I guess I have to keep going. Like I said, it was decided that Matt Andriese would basically return to the role that he had held with the Rays of being their opener, in place of actually committing and naming a fifth starter for the rest of the season. I don’t think anyone really had a lot of home for the game, and that lack of hope was quickly justified.

A lead off single to Daniel Murphy started the game. Kris Bryant struck out for the first out, and seventeen pitches later, Anthony Rizzo lined out Nick Ahmed, who made a fantastic diving playing, for the second out. During Rizzo’s lengthy at bat, Daniel Murphy went to third on a terrible pick off attempt by Jeff Mathis that went about three quarters of the way to the bullpen. Didn’t really matter, though, as Javier Baez homered into the pool area to get the Cubs on the board.

They picked right back where they left off in the second inning. Jason Heyward hit a one out double to center field and then was brought home on an Ian Happ double one out later. Being brought home on a home run the previous inning wasn’t enough for Murphy, who then hit a two run home run of his own, extending the lead to five.

The bottom of the second inning was arguably the only bright spot in the game if your blood is red, like a normal human. Ketel Marte hit a two out solo home run, but that represented basically the entirety of the Diamondbacks’ offensive production for the evening.

Jimmy Sherfy pitched the third inning, and other than a two out single, did well. Diekman was brought in to pitch the fourth and got a 1-2-3 inning, which some speculated was the first time he had done that as a Diamondback. I honestly don’t know, but it sure seems like that.

However, all the good will was destroyed when he came out to pitch the fifth inning. He walked Daniel Murphy, and then he gave up a double to Kris Bryant to put runners on second and third, no outs. A single from Rizzo scored them both, and ended Diekman’s night.

If you had hoped that bringing in Silvino Bracho would stem the bleeding, I have bad news for you. Baez singled, and Ben Zobrist walked to load the bases. He was able to get Wilson Contreras to ground out softly to Goldschmidt at first, but another run did score on that. The second out also scored a run, as it was a sac fly off the bat of pinch hitter Albert Almora Jr. Thankfully for Bracho, he plays in a league where pitchers hit, and was able to get Cubs’ starter Mike Montgomery to strike out, mercifully ending the inning.

That was basically the ball game. The Cubs essentially packed up shop, and the Diamondbacks continued with the sub-lackluster baseball they’ve been exhibiting for the past three weeks now, so both teams just let this one end quietly. 9-1 Cubs

Seriously?: Eduardo Escobar 4.5%, Ketel Marte 4.3%

Matt Andriese: Matt Andriese, -30.6%

An understandably quiet GDT tonight. To give you an idea, I was at the ballpark, was trying to conserve the charge on my phone so I could post the quick recap, and left after the seventh inning and still tied for the most number of comments with Hotclaws and Jackwriter with 32 a piece. All present were:

AzDbackfanInDc, AzRattler, GuruB, Imstillhungry95, J he, Jack Sommers, Jackwriter, Jim McLennan, Johnneu, Makakilo, MikeMono, Rockkstarr12, coldblueAZ, edbigghead, hotclaws, onedotfive, ponus, pyroman168

The only comment with more than 2 recs was my bellyaching about Van Scoyoc, so no COTN. Supposedly there will be a baseball game played between these two teams again tomorrow, so hopefully it won’t be just another evening of Cubs batting practice. You should join us. We will miss this in a couple weeks, believe it or not.

I still hate the Dodgers.