Snake Bytes: 6/29 - Beggars Not Choosing

Diamondbacks News

San Diego 6, Arizona 7
Zac Gallen was solid but unspectacular until the fifth inning. Then the wheels fell off and he allowed a six-run frame. Caleb Smith came in and tossed three innings of shutout ball to follow up. While Smith held the Friars in check, the Diamondbacks chipped away, scoring two of their four seventh inning runs on back-to-back HBP with the bases loaded, an event that had never occurred (in any inning) in Diamondbacks history. Christian Walker took care of the walk-off honours in the ninth when the Padres’ Eric Hosmer was unable to make a clean play (or throw) as he dove into the hole between first and second base.

Diamondbacks Tie Franchise Record for Comeback Win
Down six runs after six innings, the Snakes managed to string together a series of unlikely events and, for once, seized victory from the jaws of defeat, rather than the other way around.

Bizarre Seventh, Ninth Innings Lift Diamondbacks to Walk-Off Win
Carson Kelly and Buddy Kennedy both suffered HBP with the bases loaded in the seventh. David Peralta hit a ball with EV and launch angles with an expected batting average of .480 - and was retired. Christian Walker hit a grounder into the shift in the ninth, and still managed to secure a walk-off fielder’s choice when solid defensive first baseman Eric Hosmer couldn’t make a clean play. You simply cannot predict baseball.

Keuchel Joining Rotation to Bring Stability
Dallas Keuchel has apparently earned a slot in the pitching rotation. We’ll see how that goes. Other news coming out on Tuesday will almost certainly lengthen his leash.

Zach Davies to 15-day IL
The move is retroactive to 26 June. The shoulder injury comes just as the stretch run to the trade deadline arrives. With exactly five weeks until the deadline, the length of Davies’ IL stint could be the deciding factor in whether or not he is still in Sedona red after the deadline.

Cole Tucker Comes Home (sort of)
The former first-round selection out of Ahwatukee for the Pirates has found himself a new home with the Reno Aces after being cut loose by the Bucs.

Other Baseball News

Rob Manfred Doesn’t Hate Baseball, Wants to Save It
I believe there is an old adage about actions and words.

Freddie Freeman Fires Excel Agency
Freddie Freeman is currently representing himself after having a falling out with Casey Close and Excel Sports Management. It seems Freeman has a number of issues with the way in which his contract negotiations were handled and how Close essentially drove him out of Atlanta - despite his desire to remain with the Braves.

Old Friend Alerts

Archie Bradley Breaks Elbow in Brawl
Bradley reportedly chipped a bone in his throwing elbow when leaping over the dugout railing to join in the ludicrous brawl with the Mariners on Sunday. He is expected to miss at least a month, but could very possibly be out until sometime in September.

Dodgers Select Jake Lamb
You know the Dodgers are having their own issues with injuries when they are reaching this deep to fill a need.