Diamondbacks Wreck the Rockies 11-2

EDIT: PREVIOUS VERSION OF THIS STORY HAD THE INCORRECT START TIME FOR TOMORROW’S GAME. THE CORRECT TIME IS 12:10 P,M.

Record: 51-110

On a perfect night at Chase Field with roof and panels open the Diamondbacks made sure they will not be setting a new franchise record for losses in a season.

The evening could not have gotten off to a better start. After a scoreless 1-2-3 inning for Zac Gallen, the bats got busy scoring 6 runs with two outs off Colorado Rockies starter Anthony Senzatela, sending 11 men to the plate in the inning. Pavin Smith got it started with a sharp shift beater base hit into left. He advanced on a wild pitch and a groundout. Then came the hit parade: Christian Walker doubled, David Peralta singled, Carson Kelly doubled, & Josh VanMeter singled. With Dave McKay back in the first base coach’s box for the first time this year, VanMeter got a great jump and stole second. Geraldo Perdomo was intentionally walked, and amazingly, Zac Gallen punched a double to right clearing the bases. When the dust settled 6 runs were in, and Senzatela was out of the game recording only two outs on 40 pitches.

After working another scoreless inning in the 2^nd, Gallen gave a run back when Sam Hilliard homered into the pool area to lead off the 3rd. Geraldo Perdomo made a great play and strong throw on an awkward hop deep in the hole behind 2^nd to nip Dom Nunez at first. Pinch hitter Yonathan Daza singled and then Ketel Marte muffed a taylor made double play ball for an E4, and instead of the inning over it was 1^st and 2^nd with one out and the middle of the order up for Colorado. Thankfully, Brendan Rodgers grounded out sharply into at 5-4-3 double play after all , ending the inning with Zac at 50 pitches.

The D-backs got two more runs in the 3^rd off of former D-back Jhoulys Chacin. Perdomo hit an electrifying triple into the right field corner with one out. Pavin walked, and then Ketel drove a ball to the wall in front of the pool for a two out, two run double, making the score 8-1.

Zac gave up a couple of two out singles in the 4^th, and had to face Hilliard with men on base, but Gallen won this battle striking him out on a changeup to end the inning with his pitch count at 68

Then in the 5^th with his fastball velocity leaking Gallen gave up a leadoff homer to Dom Nunez, making the score 8-2. One out later Tapia snuck a bloop line drive just over VanMeter’s head for a base hit into left. But he struck out Rodgers and Blackmon to end that inning.

In the 6^th Zac gave up a one out walk to CJ Cron, and then got McMahon to fly out to left, the first out recorded by a D-back outfielder in the game. With his manager on the top step of the dugout, Caleb Smith warm in the pen, and his pitch count at 108 he struck out Hilliard for the 2^nd time to end his night and his season on a high note.

Zac’s final line was 6 IP, 6H, 2 Runs, 2 Walks, 6K’s, and the 2 solo homers allowed. Over his final 8 starts the went 48 innings and had a 3.21 ERA to finish the season strong.

Arizona tacked on a run in the 6^th. Christian Walker hit his 3^rd double of the game and with two outs Carson Kelly singled him home. It was the 7^th two out RBI base hit, all 9 runs scored with two outs.

After Caleb Smith worked a scoreless 7th, the D-backs kept the two out hit parade going in their half of the inning. Pavin drew a two out walk, his 3rd of the game. Ketel followed with a hustle double into left center. Daulton Varsho, previously hitless on the night, joined the party drilling a line drive single up the middle to score two more runs, bringing the tally to 11-2. Marte’s double was the 8th of the game tying a franchise record last reached on May 7th , 2015 against the Padres.

Luis Frias got the ball in the 8th, and promptly walked the leadoff batter Charlie Blackmon. He then went full to Trevor Story but got him to bounce into a pretty 6-4-3 double play. A fly out to center and Luis had his first complete big league inning in the books. He stayed in the game to finish off the 9th and did so impressively, throwing a 1-2-3 inning striking out the last two batters looking to end the game.

It’s not often I get to pick 9 video highlights from the MLB Film Room , but tonight is that night.

Fangraphs WE Chart and Box Score

Will you look at that chart ?!?. How often do you see it that flat that early in a game ? Better late than never !

Christian Walker lead the WPA way with +.103, and Zac Gallen right behind +.090. Carson Kelly also registered +.082 with a couple of RBI knocks among his 3 hits. Pavin Smith was on base 5 times tonight with 2 doubles and 3 walks, and David Peralta, Ketel Marte, and Josh VanMeter all had two hits. The team had 17 hits in all

Roll Call

COTG

I’m going swith two back to back Red comments tonight as co winners, as they both remind us what’s important. Snakebitten immediately recognizing Dave McKay’s return, which is huge for this ball club, and just wonderful to see. Be sure to tune into post game comments in the audio below, to heaar what Torey had to say about it.

But I also couldn’t pass up acknowledging MrMrrbi’s comment. We are all so happy to see you on the mend and are glad we could be part of your recovery in any small way.

Post game audio link

Highlights:

Torey talking about Dave McKay grabbing a helmet and saying there was no way he wasn’t going to go out on the field tonight.

Zac Gallen talking about how he had to grind through his outing with what he felt was not his best stuff. He also joked about how hard he was trying to get his one and only homerun tonight because there is going to be a DH next year and he’s not going to get to hit again.

Christian Walker discussed how humbling this season has been, but that it’s great to have a good relationship with the game going into the off season

The season finale starts tomorrow at 12:10 Arizona Time. Humberto Mejia will toe the rubber for the Diamondbacks.