Diamondbacks 2, Dodgers 4: Turambar’s Last 2021 Recap

Record: 49-105. Pace: 52-110. Change on 2004: +2.

My last recap of the season folks. At long last.

Let’s get to it shall we?

Inning 1:

Castellanos starts out the night pitching a bit rocky; allowing a single and then a walk to start things outs. Lucky for him the baseball gods are kind tonight and a Trea Turner double play ball followed by a Muncy fly out ends the threat. Yay.

No excitement for our mostly listless bats though in the bottom of the 1st. Sigh.

Inning 2:

Castellanos good luck abruptly ends in the 2nd with the Dodgers opening the inning with a double , single and then capped off by an AJ Pollock homer. Ugghhhh. 0-3 Dodgers

Calhoun at least keeps things interesting with a solo shot in the bottom of the frame, but that’s all and it’s 1-3 going in to the 3rd

Inning 3:

Big nothing burger for both teams in the 3rd, and Castellanos looked much improved, but we’ll see how long that lasts.

Inning 4:

Castellanos throws another solid frame in the 4th, but we squander a 1out Varsho single as Calhoun flies in to double play deep center as Lux makes a tremendous catch which Varsho clearly thought he had no hope of getting.

Inning 5:

Despite a leadoff walk to the impressive Lux our buddy Castellanos continues to pitch solid and gets through with nothing else doin.

Pavin Smith reaches on a strikeout/wild pitch and that luck pays off soon thereafter as VanMeter drives him in to make this a far more interesting 2-3 game.

Inning 6:

Castellanos’ night comes to an end and it’s up to Frias to keep this interesting….which he fails at miserably. A double, a single and a sac fly will kinda damper a pitching appearance for just about any reliever, though for the Dbacks I guess this is normal. Mantiply is brought in to clean Frias’ mess, and we’re lucky to only give up 1run there in the top of the 6th.

Marte gets the action going in the 6th with a 1out double and Varsho follows that by drawing a walk. Despite that both Kole and Peralta are unable to capitalize on the opportunity presented us and we sulk in to the 7th.

Inning 7:

Sean Poppen in to pitch for us in the 7th. His name makes me think of the Lord of the Rings. Maybe he pictures the mound as his own little hobbit hole of sorts?

Despite the Seager triple Poppen throws the inning in to Mount Doom (in a good way) with the two run deficit still intact. 2-4 going in to the bottom of the 7th and we still got a chance to spoil this for the Dodgers.

Aaaannnnnd the Dodgers shut that hope down quickly in the bottom of the 7th; 1-2-3 go the Dbacks. Meh.

Inning 8:

Clippard replaces our hobbit friend and proceeds to give up a single to Muncy and then alternates between an out and a Dodger base runner until the bases are juiced with 2outs. Clippard keeps our dreams of Dodger shame alive with a strike out to end the top of the frame, now if only those pesky bats would show up…..

After a Walker pop out Rojas and Marte both get walked and suddenly we got a chance with the go ahead run at the plate. Varsho gives it his level best to be that hero, but is only able to advance Rojas to third with a deep pop out to center. Kole disappoints in a very similar manner after Varsho so we’re now off to the 9th still down 2-4.

Inning 9:

1-2-3 go the Dodgers and we’re now down to our last chance to mess with the Dodgers tonight.

Aaaaaaannnnnd….nada. Game over ladies and gentlemen.

I love you all my fellow Pitters and Brute Squad enforcers, but I’d be lying to you all if I said it was fun doing recaps this season: it was not.

The Dbacks will be back though, and the new season will bring new hope once more. Until then #%^k the Dodgers and I’ll be rooting for whoever faces then throughout the playoffs.

Bells and whistles, by Jim

Post-game audio from Kole Calhoun and Torey Lovullo

There was a Gameday Thread. Those who participated in it were: AzDbackfanInDc, Diamondhacks, GuruB, Jack Sommers, Makakilo, MrMrrbi, NikT77, Oldenschoole, Schilling2001, Smurf-1000, Snacks&Dbacks, Snake_Bitten, kilnborn and makattack71. Comment of the night to GuruB, naturally:

The Orioles lost against Texas, maintaining the dead-heat between them and the D-backs for the Tankapalooza crown. And with Mr. Pilcher heading for parts unknown next weekend, I’ll be bringing you a bonus, unexpected recap on Friday night against the Rockies! Memo to Mrs. SnakePit: get beer in. LOTS of beer... But tomorrow, we bring you the D-backs and Dodgers, with a Zac Gallen vs. Clayton Kershaw match-up. First pitch for that is at 5:10 pm.