Record: 10-12-2. Change on 2018: -1.5. 5-inning record: 9-11-4.
A mixed bag of results for the two halves of the D-backs this afternoon. In the road game at Surprise, they lost to the Rangers 7-2. It was a typically Robbie Ray-ish start, dominating in spells, but a high pitch count forced his exit after only 3.1 innings. He allowed two runs on two hits, three walks and a hit batter, but also struck out eight. He has 21 strikeouts in just 11 spring innings, so that aspect of his game is clearly playing well. Braden Shipley and Archie Bradley both struggled, each man allowing two runs on three hits; Bradley wasn’t able to complete the sixth inning. Robbie Scott did pitch a clean eighth, and Alex Young gave up a run in the eighth.
The offense scored two runs on eight hits (all of them singles) and a pair of walks, both runs coming in the second inning, where 2B Kelby Tomlinson and 3B Juniel Querecuto each had RBI singles; Querecuto, CF Socrates Brito and 1B Christian Walker each had two hits; C Carson Kelly got a hit and walked. Meanwhile, back at Salt River Fields, both sides of the D-backs performed better. Zack Greinke had a rough second inning, allowing three runs, but that was all as he pitched into the sixth. He finished the day with 5.2 innings, scattering seven hits and two walks with six strikeouts, and his spring ERA still remains a solid 2.79. Stefan Crichton, Yoan Lopez and Daniel Gibson combined for 3.1 perfect relief innings.
After falling those three runs behind, Arizona chipped away with single tallies in the third (a C Alex Avila home-run, his first) and fourth (a 3B Eduardo Escobar homer, also his first). They then tied the game in the fifth on a run-scoring double-play off the bat of Greinke. 1B Yasmany Tomas and SS Nick Ahmed had RBI in the sixth, and RF-CF Marcus Wilson provided two insurance runs with a home-run in the bottom of the eighth inning. The D-backs had the same number of hits here (8), with Tomas and Avila notching a pair each. Of note, Jarrod Dyson made his spring debut, replacing Steven Souza, and drew a pair of walks. Still no sign of Adam Jones yet...
There’s no game for the D-backs tomorrow. The next time that happens will be the eve of Opening Day.