Snake Bytes 4/21: The “L” Has Risen

Arizona Diamondbacks 6, Chicago Cubs 0

[D’backs.com] No. 10 prospect Clarke makes immediate impact - It didn’t take Taylor Clarke long to make an impact in the Majors. Called up from Triple-A Reno on Saturday to add some depth to a tired Arizona bullpen, Clarke tossed three shutout innings in his Major League debut, picking up a save and his first career hit in the D-backs’ 6-0 win over the Cubs... Clarke relieved starter Zack Greinke in the seventh inning Saturday and allowed just one hit over the final frames. “It’s pretty fun,” Clarke said. “It’s just pretty special to be a part of that and experience all that and have success. It kind of just went fast. I mean, I tried not to get too overwhelmed by it. I just tried to focus on what I was throwing and take it one pitch at a time, then I got into the dugout and they’re like, ‘You’re hitting.’”

[AZ Central] Greinke sharp, Diamondbacks even series vs. Cubs - More than three weeks ago, Zack Greinke was shelled on Opening Day. He pitched poorly, the Dodgers’ powerful lineup capitalized and Greinke’s season began on an inauspicious note. Whether it has been poor results or diminished velocity in the spring, this has been the norm for Greinke – a slow start followed by an eventual rebound -- during his time with the Diamondbacks. He seems to be doing it again this year. Greinke worked six scoreless innings at a windy and chilly Wrigley Field on Saturday afternoon, helping the Diamondbacks to a 6-0 win over the Chicago Cubs. He made nearly as much hard contact as a hitter as he allowed as a pitcher. Other than a fourth-inning jam that was partly borne of a misplay in the outfield – a jam Greinke managed to escape – he seemed to be in near-complete control throughout his outing.

[Arizona Sports] Zack Greinke, 3 home runs lead D-backs to win over Cubs - Zack Greinke made it look easy in his first victory at Wrigley Field. Then, he got upstaged by a teammate making a memorable major league debut... Clarke became the first pitcher with a save and a hit in his major league debut since saves became an official stat in 1969, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. “Pretty fun, pretty special to be a part of that and experience all of that and have success,” Clarke said.

Arizona Diamondbacks News

[AZ Central] Diamondbacks’ Blake Swihart could spell starters on outfield corners - Blake Swihart, acquired in a trade on Friday with the Boston Red Sox, isn’t expected to join the team until Monday in Pittsburgh, but Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo already has some ideas of how he plans to use him. Swihart, primarily a catcher throughout his professional career, is expected to see time on the outfield corners, giving Lovullo a chance to get left fielder David Peralta and right fielder Adam Jones some time off. “We’ve had a nice little rotation in center field, but we have to watch out for the number of games played for David and Adam,” Lovullo said. “I think this creates a little bit of an opportunity to get Blake on the field and get those guys some rest when it’s needed.”

[MLB.com] Saturday’s top prospect performers - D-backs: Jazz Chisholm, SS (No. 1, MLB No. 57) --2-for-4, 2 HR (4), 3 RBI, BB (Double-A Jackson)Chisholm’s solo shot in the second inning put the Generals on the board and he later added a two-run homer in the seventh to extend their lead. It was the third career multi-homer game for the 21-year-old masher, who, with three homers in his last two games, is showing signs of coming out of his early-season funk that’s seen him hit .111 through 12 games.

[The Athletic] ‘A definite leader’: Ex-Twin Eduardo Escobar is fitting right in with D-backs - Fogo Power​ is alive and well. Though​ he​ has​ moved on from Twins Territory, Eduardo​ Escobar​ is​ still​​ bringing the same brand of intense-on-the-field, lighthearted-in-the-clubhouse leadership to the Arizona Diamondbacks. A few months into his second season with Arizona, coaches and teammates say Escobar has begun to display the same traits that made him one of the most popular Twins over the better part of the past decade.

Around the League

Coming from someone who loves bat flips but absolutely cannot stand the wave, this is fairly hilarious.

[MLB Trade Rumors] Yankees Place Aaron Judge On Injured List - If you were hoping to see the Bronx Bombers when they come to Chase Field, you might be surprised when the Bronx Bloopers take the field. Seriously, the amount of starting players they have on the injured list is alarming.

[Japan Times] Mariners lefty Yusei Kikuchi earns first MLB win - Pitcher Yusei Kikuchi picked up his first MLB win as the Seattle Mariners edged the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night in Anaheim. Kikuchi (1-1), who attended Hanamaki Higashi High School in Iwate Prefecture, the same school injured Angels star Shohei Ohtani attended, finally won in his sixth start since joining Seattle in the offseason. The left-hander, who was 73-46 in eight NPB seasons with the Seibu Lions before moving to North America, persevered through five innings of 10-hit ball with plenty of help from his homer-happy teammates.

[Bleacher Report] Albert Pujols Passes Babe Ruth for 5th on MLB Career RBI List - Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols has once again put his name among the greatest ever to play the sport. With a third-inning double in Saturday’s game against the Seattle Mariners, Pujols tied Babe Ruth for the fifth-most RBI in baseball history, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). The 39-year-old now has 1,993 RBI in his career, which just passes Ruth’s mark of 1,992 beginning in 1920 when the category became an official stat. According to Baseball Reference, Ruth would have 2,214 RBI over the course of his career, which began in 1914. This would put him in second place behind only Hank Aaron with 2,297 RBI.