Game #19 4/27, Diamondbacks 3, Dodgers 1

It’s another get-away-day brought to you by your favorite Spicy Spencer! Looking for a great game from Gallen (purely for fantasy reasons, promise) and maybe even a series win? Let’s find out together!

Lineups

Dodgers:

• RF Mookie Betts
• 1B Freddie Freeman
• SS Trea Turner
• 3B Max Muncy
• CF Cody Bellinger
• LF Chris Taylor
• DH Edwin Rios
• 2B Gavin Lux
• C Austin Barnes
• SP Julio Urias

Diamondbacks:

• LF Cooper Hummel
• RF Jordan Luplow
• DH Matt Davidson
• 1B Christian Walker
• 2B Ketel Marte
• C Carson Kelly
• SS Nick Ahmed
• CF Daulton Varsho
• 3B Sergio Alcantara
• SP Zac Gallen

First Inning:

Top: Not the most efficient inning there is: 14 pitches, 8 strikes but effective nonetheless. Betts and Freeman both grounded out and Trea Turner struck out on a lovely 96mph heater down broadway.

Bottom: So Hummel walked again, but he spiced it up, this time on six pitches instead of four! But he was retired at second on a ground ball by Luplow who did manage to beat out the relay throw. This was very quickly followed by a high pop out from Davidson, a useless at bat in every sense of the phrase. And Walker managed to see one whole pitch to fly out to left, allowing Urias to settle in after a rocky start. Sigh. 0-0 TIE

Second Inning:

Top: Muncy walked to start the second. Gallen nibbled a bit, but got no help on close calls from the ump. Thankfully Bellinger got a little greedy and made a very loud, very long foul out to right. Then Taylor watched a 96mph fastball zoom through the outer edge for another strike out! And Rios struck out swinging on an 81mph Knuckle Curve according to GameDay. Efficient isn’t the name of the game so far for Gallen; 34 pitches 21 strikes, but he has three strikeouts, so that’s not horrible.

Bottom: Marte grounded out to third to start the second. Kelly looked at strike three without much fight. And Ahmed flew out to Bellinger. Not a great inning. 0-0 TIE

Third Inning:

Top: Nice little grounder to Ahmed retired Lux. And hey, Barnes wanted in on the fun, so he also grounded out to Ahmed! But Betts needs to show off and forces a single through the infield for the first hit of the game on either side. Sidebar: that ball should have been a ground out to second, but for some inexplicable reason, there was no player in that spot (I’m not actually against the shift, but it was very noticeable on that play). Gallen gonna Gallen though, getting Freeman to fly out to left to end the inning without any damage done. 48 pitches 31 strikes. Pretty okay if a tad higher than I’d like to see.

Bottom: Varsho got on first as Freeman erred on a popout, learning just how bright the southwestern sun can be. But the rare error went to waste as Alcantara (still don’t know how to properly pronounce his name) quickly grounded into a double play. Whoopie. Sadly the Hummel walk talent failed here and he also grounded out quickly. Urias pitch count: 32. 0-0 TIE

Fourth Inning:

Top: Luplow was not sun-struck and caught a lazy fly from Turner the Younger (not to be confused with Turner the Older who was not starting today for LA). Muncy also flew out, this time to center. But Bellinger took one on the elbow to get on base. Luckily Taylor flew out to Varsho as well, ending the inning. 62 pitches 38 strikes.

Bottom: Luplow struck out swinging to start. But Davidson walked on 10 pitches, accounting for 22% of Urias’ pitches thus far (10 of 46). Walker also had a great at bat, seeing eight pitches, but ended up striking out. And Marte lazily grounded out to short, ending the string of great fights. Urias pitch count now up to 56. 0-0 TIE

Fifth Inning:

Top: A nice diving/falling catch by Luplow for the first out. Lux then lined out to center and Barnes struck out. Seven total pitches for Gallen. 69 so far.

Bottom: Kelly grounded out. Well. Just as I realized we’re being no-hit, Nick Ahmed went ahead and hit one of his signature home runs (totally thought it was a double until I saw the fielder)! Varsho hit a FAST grounder to first that Freeman handled very well, and the footrace ended in experience’s favor rather than youth sadly. Alcantara also grounded out, this time to third, ending the inning. Urias now at 71 pitches, surpassing Gallen! Both are pitching very well, with approximately one mistake between them. 1-0 DIAMONDBACKS

Sixth Inning:

Top: Had to take my dog out for a bladder break. Apparently Betts flew out to right, Freeman grounded out to short, Turner doubled to left, and Muncy walked. Man a lot of baseball can happen in the span of a beagle’s pee-time. Made it back in time to see my mom’s favorite baseball count: 2 balls, 2 strikes, 2 out, 2 on during Bellinger’s at bat. But it ends with a big strike out! 90 total pitches, 55 strikes for Gallen.

Bottom: Hummel once again decided not to walk, flying out to center instead. He really is diversifying his portfolio in real time. Luplow was called out on strikes and he was ANGRY about it, vocalizing his discontent all the way back to the dugout. Davidson couldn’t replicate the long at bat, quickly flying out to Center. 1-0 DIAMONDBACKS

Seventh Inning:

Top: Noe Ramirez relieved Gallen. Final line for Gallen: 6IP 2H 0R 2BB 5SO 0HR in the line for the win. Quite the outing! Taylor flew out to center. Rios then got a long single to left which Hummel played well enough, although a faster (more efficient) fielder perhaps would have had a play on it. But Lux did us the favor of striking out and Rios lumbered his way into a caught stealing, ending the inning with a double play!

Bottom: Phil Bickford relieved Urias. He got Walker to ground out to third, Marte to ground out to short, walked Kelly and Ahmed to ground out to short. Pretty typical 2022 inning. 1-0 DIAMONDBACKS

Eighth Inning:

Top: Ian Kennedy replaced Ramirez. Gulp. After a solid start of striking out pinch hitter Smith, Betts, singled, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Freeman did line out, but Turner made the wild pitch count, singling home Betts to tie the game. Gulp warranted. Muncy grounded out to keep it tied.

Bottom: Daniel Hudson came in to hold the tie for LA. Varsho got a VERY generous no swing call, giving him a walk to lead it off. Alcantara then followed that up with a perfect bunt that Muncy threw away leading to Varsho scoring from first and Alcantara on third! Hummel then successfully made it to first on a dribbler along the third base line that stayed fair! No movement (good or bad) on Alcantara’s part. Luplow then grounded out to short, resulting in Hummel out at second, but no double play! Pavin Smith pinch hit for Davidson and grounded out to second (nearly thrown away AGAIN), but both runners advanced, scoring Alcantara! Walker then hit a grounder up the middle that could have resulted in another run, but Walker took his sweet time, so he failed to beat out the bad throw and heads up defense from Freeman. 3-1 DIAMONDBACKS

Ninth Inning:

Top: Melancon came in to save the game. Gulp again. Bellinger immediately pops straight up, which Kelly lost in the sun, but Alcantara had it and made a great diving catch to save that out. Taylor then struck out looking and he was ANGRY about a borderline pitch. Rios then grounded out to Marte, ending the game! 3-1 DIAMONDBACKS WWIN!

Bottom: NO NEED BABY

Concluding Thoughts:

Starting pitching was the name of this game. Both Gallen and Urias were on point, with Gallen being just slightly better overall! Errors and shaky relief pitching were the deciding factors here, resulting in the FIRST SERIES VICTORY OF THE SEASON! AGAINST THE DODGERS NO LESS! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!

Fangraphs:

Top Comment goes to Heath Klein for this gem, which is in fact true!

What’s Next?

Tomorrow afternoon at 4:45pm Arizona Time we open a four game set in St Louis with the Goldy birds for the weekend. Looks like game one will be H. Castellanos vs D. Hudson. Let’s hope the good times roll!