Diamondbacks 10, Royals 11: An imperfect ten

The Diamondbacks remain winless after four games in spring, but it's not for a lack of trying - at least on the part of the offense. However, the pitching had an afternoon to forget, especially in the later innings. Arizona were 8-2 up at one point, and still led by five heading into the seventh. But Kansas City ended up walking it off with two out in the bottom of the ninth. Looks like a pair of errors by third baseman C.J. Chatham proved costly, leading to three unearned runs for the Royals. But it was also the second day in a row where the D-backs pitching staff had a WHIP of above two. /insert knee-jerk reaction about Brent Strom.

Let's talk about the positives first though. That would include the way the hitters put up ten runs by the middle of the sixth. A five-run third got things going, consisting of a two-run double by Josh Rojas, an RBI single from Pavin Smith, and LF Cooper Hummel cranking his first home-run of spring, a two-run shot to left-field. In the fifth, Rojas added a solo HR of his own, and Geraldo Perdomo singled home a pair. And in the sixth, Arizona added two more, on a Daulton Varsho home-run and an RBI knock by Chatham. Rojas ended the day with two hits, two runs and three driven in, while Varsho, Smith and Hummel each drew a walk in addition to their hit.

Brandon Pfaadt got the start, and was certainly not the problem. He allowed only one run over three innings, on a pair of hits with no walks and three strikeouts. But that is largely where the good news stops. Caleb Smith was rocked to the tune of five hits and two walks over his two frames, the Royals tagging him for four runs. Joe Mantiply worked a 1-2-3 sixth, but allowed a run in the seventh. Jeff Bain replaced him with two outs. and should have been quickly done, but for the first of Chatham’s errors. Instead, it took four more attempts to get the third out, in which time Kansas City scored twice, making the score 10-8.

Chatham’s second E put the lead-off man aboard for the Royals in the seventh against Kevin Ginkel. That and a walk both came around to score, tying the game. Blake Workman got the first two outs in the ninth, and I was preparing a comment about how ish95 would be happy with the end result being a tie. But he then allowed a single, which came all the way around to score from first on a double to the gap in left-center, and the Diamondbacks had succeeded in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, as their record for spring dropped to 0-4. Above is a video with some highlights from today’s game - it’s all available on replay on Bally Sports later, but I’d suggest turning it off in the middle of the sixth.

They’ll make a fifth attempt to win their first game tomorrow, back at Salt River Fields against the Mariners. Humbero Castellanos get the start for the D-backs, with the first pitch at 1:10 pm. It’ll be on the radio, so there might even be a Gameday Thread for that.