Snake Pit Sim Season: 4/25 - Winning Feels Good

After some first inning hiccups, the Arizona Diamondbacks received a solid but unspectacular performance out of Madison Bumgarner en route to defeating Sonny Gray and the Reds.

Tim Locastro led the game off with a double for the Diamondbacks. David Peralta was then caught looking at strike three. Displeased that Peralta was unable to advance him, Locastro took off ofor third on the first pitch to Ketel Marte but was gunned down by Tucker Barnhart. Marte then struck out, which ended the top of the first.

Bumgarner made qquick work of Joey Votto and Shogo Akiyama to get things going in the bottom of the first. Then, up 0-2 on Nick Castellanos, Bumgarner got too much plate with his curve and Castellanos put the ball in the stands. Eugenio Suarez followed and worked his way into a full count. Then, Bumgarner once again caught too much plate and watched the ball go sailing into souvenir land beyond the outfield wall. Mike Moustakas followed with a line shot to center before Bumgarner finally restored order by striking out Barnhart to end the inning.

The Diamondbacks responded in the second when Kole Calhoun stole second and was then brought home by a Carson Kelly double. The Diamondbacks were unable to score more in the second, but had still responded positively to the 1-2 shot they took in the first. Bumgarner, for his part, buckled down and went to work. He scattered four more hits and a walk through the next four and a third innings.

For the most part, Gray seemed to match Bumgarner. That is, until the sixth inning rolled around. With one away in the sixth, Gray just clipped Christian Walker with a pitch. Walker was erased on a groundout fielder’s choice by Calhoun. Carson Kelly then hit Gray’s 2-2 offering 371 feet into the left field bleachers. Nick Ahmed was unable to clear the pitcher’s spot in the order, striking out.

With the Reds going three up and three down in the sixth, Bumgarner was left in the game to hit for himself to lead off the seventh inning. He singled to center, bringing an end to Gray’s night. Gray was relieved by Robert Stephenson. Stephenson struck out Locastro swinging, but then left a cement mixer out over the plate for David Peralta. Peralta knew exactly what to do with that pitch and hit his own two-run tater.

Bumgarner came out to pitch the seventh inning. He retired Derek Dietrich and was then lifted for Andrew Chafin as the Dietrich at-bat had pushed Bumgarner beyond the 100-pitch mark. Chafin pitched a perfect 1 ²⁄₃ innings before handing the ball off to Archie Bradley for the save. Bradley once again allowed a bit of excitement allowing a hit and a walk in the ninth. Yet, once again, he kept the opposition from scoring. The scoreless frame gave Bradley his eight save on the season and extended the Diamondbacks’ winning streak to eight games.

Final Score: AZ 5- CIN 2

The same two teams finish their three-game series tomorrow with Zac Gallen (3-2, 3.34) facing off against Tyler Mahle (1-3, 6.26)