Game #76, Padres 4 @ Diamondbacks 0

It’s Wednesday, so you know what that means? It’s a potential sweep day! This sweep would be a good one, an Arizona one! It’s also a short one, the final game of a set of two against San Diego.

I can’t say I feel super confident about this one going in though. While the boys in red have won two in a row, the offense hasn’t exactly been consistent in the last week, uh month?, season.... But they have Bumgarner on the mound, and he’s been pretty ok in day games so far, so fingers crossed!

Lineups

1st

Top

Profar started the game by flying out to left. Nola then grounded out to short. Cronenworth attempted to bunt, but he skied the ball and Herrera ran it down to end the inning.

Bottom

Rojas popped out to third in foul territory. Side note: Clevinger looks like a toddler who has to pee but doesn’t want to miss something when he pitches.... Thomas struck out swinging. His last couple at bats have been rough. Marte golfed a ball to deep right, but the fielder was there, so inning over. 0-0 TIE

2nd

Top

Voit lifted one to dead center, but missed a little of it and Thomas corralled it without issue. Hosmer then struck out swinging and looked at the ump a little confused when he was tagged out by Herrera (who’d dropped the ball). Not entirely sure what was going on, but it didn’t disrupt the game at all; I assume Hoz just forgot the count. Kim flew out to Thomas; another quick half inning.

Bottom

Walker couldn’t lay off the slider and struck out swinging. Peralta walked. Varsho grounded to first, but the Padres only got Peralta at second. Unproductive out, but a better baserunner, so let’s call it a wash. Buddy Kennedy watched strike three to end the inning. 0-0 TIE

3rd

Top

Grisham gave a ball a ride to left, but Peralta tracked it down at the wall. Azocar lined a ball right up the middle directly to Kennedy at second. Abrams followed that up with a ball pulled down the line in right. Thankfully Varsho played it well and kept the Padres speedster to a double instead of a triple. Profar walked, but Nola grounded to third and Rojas won a footrace with Abrams to get the force at the base.

Bottom

Perdomo hit a fast grounder to normal second base, and got it past the first defender, but Cronenworth in short right got it. He then promptly lost it and Perdomo was safe. Herrera then placed a perfect sac bunt down. Rojas grounded out to second, but it was a hit and run, so Perdomo to third successfully. Thomas once again struck out... 0-0 TIE

4th

Top

MadBum struck Cronenworth out, but it was a fight; took six pitches. Voit struck out swinging, like BIG SWINGING... Hosmer singled up the middle after a long at bat (6 more pitches). Kim walked after another long at bat and on a pitch that was in the zone, but hasn’t been called a strike all day (for either side). Grisham technically got hit by pitch, but very obviously put his elbow out to get struck, so the at bat continued so he could strike out swinging. No scoreboard damage done, but a 30+ pitch inning...

Bottom

Marte worked an 8-pitch at bat of his own, but grounded out to short. Walker struck out swinging. Peralta lined a ball to right field, but short stop was there to catch it. 0-0 TIE

5th

Top

Azocar hit a ball with some movement to center, but Thomas snagged it. Abrams grounded out to first. Profar walked and said something to irk MadBum, Walker and multiple umps. Nola grounded one through a whole up the middle. Cronenworth finally got a hit, to right, and scored Profar with Nola to third. Voit hit a scary-long ball to left, but Peralta had juuuuuuuust enough space to grab it.

Bottom

Varsho grounded out to pitcher. Kennedy flew out to center. Perdomo grounded into the overshift, but once again, some questionable San Diego defense resulted in him on base; error on Clevinger this time. Herrera then lined out to left. 1-0 SAN DIEGO

6th

Top

Nelson pitching now. Hosmer grounded to third and Rojas made the play! Kim walked. Nelson threw away a pick off at first and Kim got to third. Grisham walked on a few pitches that were strikes earlier in the game...Azocar lined out to Perdomo, no runners could advance. But Abrams found a whole between third and short, scoring Kim. Profar grounded out to short. But the damage was done.

Bottom

Rojas flew out to center. Thomas grounded out to third and Marte struck out swinging. 2-0 SAN DIEGO

7th

Top

Ramirez on the mound now. Nola lined out to left. Cronenworth lined a double to right. Voit singled up the middle, scoring Cronenworth. Hosmer then grounded into a 3-6-3 double play.

Bottom

Nick Martinez replaced Clevinger. Walker grounded out to short immediately. Peralta came close to a home run to deep right/center, but Grisham caught it and he and Profar mildly collided. Varsho then popped out to short right on the first pitch. This was an embarrassing inning. 3-0 SAN DIEGO

8th

Top

Kim hit a very long single to left, but Peralta’s heads up defense kept him at first. Mantiply replaced Ramirez after that. Grisham then bunted straight up and Mantiply caught it. Azocar then grounded into a 6-4-3 double play that the Padres successfully challenged. Abrams then struck out looking to end the inning again.

Bottom

Kennedy grounded a single up the middle on the first pitch. Perdomo popped out to shallow left field. Pavin Smith pinch hitting for Herrera. He walked. Rojas grounded to first, but Cronenworth (now playing it for Hosmer) lost the ball, so only Rojas was out. Thomas grounded into the overshift to end the inning. 3-0 SAN DIEGO

9th

Top

Kennedy on to pitch with Varsho behind the plate and Smith in right. Profar walked. Nola attempted to split the gap in right/center, but Smith got there. Cronenworth blasted a ball off the center field wall, reaching second and scoring Profar. Voit launched one to the pool but on the good side of the fence, so Thomas caught it. Cronenworth advanced to third though. Alcantara (in for Cronenworth when Hosmer came out) struck out swinging.

Bottom

Marte grounded out, first to pitcher. Walker grounded out to short. Peralta doubled to left/center. But Varsho popped out to left. 4-0 SAN DIEGO

Conclusion

Ooooof. This wasn’t a pretty game. MadBum looked good to start, but the wheels got wobbly in innings 4 and 5. They never came off, but they forced the bullpen to work more than it looked like they’d have to early. The offense though.... oh my. Three hits, no runs. I guess its a good thing that two of the hits came from Kennedy and Perdomo? The future is starting? maybe? I know...its a stretch.

Comment of the Day

Had to scroll for this one. But it’s worth it methinks.

Fangraphs

Here’s the depressing line for those of you who want it.

Up Next

After a travel day on Thursday, the snakes will be in Denver to face the Rockies for three over the weekend. Friday night will begin at 5:10 Arizona time with Merrill Kelly on the mound and TBD for Colorado. maybe the thin air (and notoriously poor pitching) will be good for the offense?