Snake Pit Sim Season: 5/7 - Bumgarner Dominates

Despite the appealing score, there really isn’t much to talk about in this game. The Diamondbacks jumped out to a quick lead in this one. Tim Locastro led the game off with a bunt hit. He advanced to second on a ground out by Peralta. He then sprinted home safely without a throw when Ketel Marte singled to left. In the top of the third, Locastro started things off with a double. Again, as in game one, he pulled up short as he reached second base and was removed for the game. Jake Lamb was inserted in his place. The Diamondbacks scored again in the fourth inning when Joe Ross balked home Christian Walker from third base with two outs and Nick Ahmed at the plate.

Offensively, the big damage by Arizona was done in the fifth inning. Madison Bumgarner led the inning off with a single. Joe Ross then got two quick outs on pop outs to center left from Jake Lamb and David Peralta. Ketel Marte then walked after an extended at-bat.Eduardo Escobar then doubled to left center, scoring both Bumgarner and Marte. Christian Walker then put Ross out of his misery by homering to left field. Virtual Martinez turned to his bullpen, using Roenis Elias to get Kole Calhoun for the third out. That was essentially the end of the game. The Diamondbacks managed only one hit and one walk the rest of the game.

On the other side of things, Bumgarner was dominant through eight innings of work. Of the nine base runners Bumgarner allowed in the game, four of them came in the seventh inning, when he allowed two runs to score, courtesy of two singles, a double, and a wild pitch. He also hit Victor Robles with a pitch in the inning, but managed to strand Robles at first. He allowed one final hit in the eighth inning, before inducing a routine double play and a weak fly to right.

The ninth inning saw Andrew Chafin allow a pair of base runners. This led to Virtual Lovullo calling on Archie Bradley to pick up a one-out save. Bradley proved to be more than up to the task.

Final Score: AZ 6 - WAS 2

The player of the game was easily Madison Bumgarner. The veteran lefty needed only 104 pitches to complete eight full innings. The Nationals simply never looked comfortable against him as he constantly induced bad swings and weak contact out of the Washington lineup.

Tomorrow, the Diamondbacks will be in Milwaukee to face the Brewers. The expected match-up is Zac Gallen vs Josh Lindblom.

The Diamondbacks are now 21-16, still third place in the NL West.