Diamondbacks 3, Rockies 5: Same s...core, different day

Arizona had a 3-1 lead after seven innings, but poor control from non-roster invitees Jesus Lisardo and Keynan Middleton helped Colorado to a three-run eighth. That proved decisive, as the second game of spring finished with exactly the same score as the first. Though again, this contest was almost entirely played out using people outside the 40-man roster. On a quick skim through the boxscore, the only 40-man names I can find among the 17 position players and seven pitchers who took part this afternoon, are pitcher Sean Poppen, who worked a scoreless sixth inning, and catcher Jose Herrera (0-for-2). So I’m not going to go over every details of this one.

Ryne Nelson got the start and had a good outing: four innings of one-run ball, on three hits and no walks with a pair of Ks. He was followed by Kevin Ginkel, seeking his way back after an elbow issue, and he struck out a pair in the fifth. After Poppen, the other Nelson, Kyle, looked very good in the seventh, with a trio of swinging strikeouts around a single. Lisardo struck out his first batter with a 98.7 mph fastball. But he’s always had control issues in his career, and two walks and an infield hit loaded the bases. Middleton came in with two outs, and allowed all three inherited runners to score, as the Rockies took the lead. Junior Garcia worked the ninth: his hit batter came around to score Colorado’s fifth run.

The Diamondbacks had taken the lead in the third after Stone Garrett doubled off the wall, advanced on a single and came home on a Jancarlos Cintro sacrifice fly. They added two more in the fourth: Camden Duzenack singled home Corbin Carroll, and then Garrett added another with an RBI groundout. But that was the end of the scoring for Arizona, who had seven hits and a walk from eight different players, though Alek Thomas (pictured top) and Buddy Kennedy were the only ones with more than two plate appearances (both went 0-for-3, and are still seeking their first hits of spring). Andy Yerzy just missed his second home-run in as many games, doubling off the wall in the eighth.

Tomorrow, it’s the first “true” road game of spring, with the D-backs heading to Tempe Diablo to take on the Angels. Non-roster invitee Dan Straily makes his debut for the team, and it will be a 1:10 pm first pitch.