Game #89: 7/13, Diamondbacks 3 @ Giants 4

It’s Wednesday and there is no sweep on the table. Good or bad! Despite the horrid taste still in my mouth after last night’s disaster, I’m calling this a good thing. Zac Gallen in on the mound, only four days until the draft, and less than three weeks to the trade deadline! I’m in a good mood.

First Inning

Top

Luplow led off. He flew out to center. Rojas walked. Marte blooped a single to extremely shallow center. Walker fouled out to the right fielder. A double steal attempt then ended the inning because Marte runs tenderly; as in so tenderly I’m shocked they let him attempt a steal.

Bottom

Wade began the bottom half by striking out. Then Gallen walked Pederson who is apparently 0-19 recently. Ooof. Gallen then spiked a curveball and Joc moved to second when it got away from Herrera. Slater then pretended to walk when strike three slid through the zone; it was a pitch of beauty. Belt then immediately grounded out to first, ending the inning. 0-0 TIE

Second Inning

Top

San Francisco played a bullpen game today, so out came Sammy Long. McCarthy greeted him with a double to shallow center; he does NOT run tenderly. Kennedy then knocked a ball off his ankle/shin (covered by a guard, but he was in pain), before knocking a single to center on a beautiful hit just passed Estrada’s glove. VARSHO TRIPLED OFF THE WALL IN TRIPLES ALLEY! Unfortunately Perdomo popped out to second. Then Herrera grounded out to third, once again failing to score Varsho. To complete the useless ab Trifecta, Luplow swung through a high fastball. The good news? Two runs scored. The bad news? The D’Backs had a runner on third with no outs and failed to score him.

Bottom

Estrada hit a ball to triples alley, but Luplow got there so quickly he only got to second. Then Gallen walked Yastzemski. Luckily, Villar grounded into a 5-4-3 double play. Crawford grounded out to first, ending the inning, no damage done. 2-0 ARIZONA

Third Inning

Top

Rojas led the third off with a fly out to left. MARTE FOLLOWED WITH A HOMERUN TO DEAD CENTER! Nice thing about homeruns, you can run tenderly and still score! Walker quickly grounded out to short. McCarthy legged out an infield hit up the middle: speed man, it’s like really important. Kennedy then earned a walk. Varsho worked another walk. This led to Tyler Rogers coming in to pitch and he got Perdomo to pop out to center, ending the inning with the bases loaded.

Bottom

Wynns did not win his at bat, grounding out to short. Wade struck out looking this time. Pederson yeeted a ball to triples alley as well, but it hung just long enough that Luplow made an unnecessary jumping catch! 3-0 ARIZONA

Fourth Inning

Top

Herrera grounded out to first. Luplow walked. Rojas grounded into an inning ending double play started by Crawford.

Bottom

Gallen struck Slater out swinging. Belt followed suit. Estrada then grounded out to short. 3-0 ARIZONA

Fifth Inning

Top

Marte grounded out to third base. Walker walked (I’m always going to love typing that). McCarthy grounded to short and Crawford who nabbed Walker at second, but there was no chance to get McCarthy for two. Rogers struck Kennedy out.

Bottom

Yaz grounded out to short. Gallen then hit Villar, but he was erased on a double play ball off Crawford’s bat. 3-0 ARIZONA

Sixth Inning

Top

Jalin Garcia replaced Rogers. Varsho struck out looking on a pitch at the bottom corner (could’ve gone either way). Perdomo reached on a swinging bunt up the third base line. Luplow flew out to left.

Bottom

Thomas replaced Luplow and came into Center, pushing Varsho to right. Wynns fouled out to first. Wade grounded out to short. Pederson then flew out to left. 3-0 ARIZONA

Seventh Inning

Top

Rojas flew out to deep left field. Marte flew out to center. And Walker popped out to shallow right.

Bottom

Slater had a long at bat, but finished it off by popping out to Perdomo. Belt homered over triples alley. Then Estrada singled to right. Yaz doubled to center, advancing Estrada to third. Villar then hit a sac fly to right, scoring Estrada; Yaz too third. Mantiply in for Gallen and he quickly struck Crawford out. 3-2 ARIZONA

Eighth Inning

Top

Llovera pitching now. McCarthy grounded out. Alcantara hit for Kennedy and struck out swinging. Varsho grounded out to first.

Bottom

Flores hit for Wynns and homered to center. Ruf then singled to left. Mercedes hit for Pederson and Middleton came in for Mantiply. Mercedes struck out before Middleton got Gonzalez (hitting for Slater) to grounded into an inning ending double play. 3-3 TIE

Ninth Inning

Top

All the defensive changes for San Francisco. Doval in to pitch. Perdomo struck out. Peralta hit for Herrera and struck out. Thomas then doubled to left and took third on a passed ball. But Rojas couldn’t make the magic happen, grounding out to third.

Bottom

Melancon on to pitch and Kelly behind the dish. Belt singled over the shift to right. Estrada struck out swinging. Yaz doubled to right, but thankfully Belt was too slow to score, so runners on second and third, one out. Melancon pitched around Villar. Crawford walked the game off with a hit to right field Varsho couldn’t corral to attempt a play at the plate. 4-3 SAN FRANCISCO

Conclusion

Well that sucked. The game started well enough, but the offense fell flat again. Gallen continued to struggle, although he got deeper in to the game inning-wise before it happened today (progress?). Mantiply added to the story that he doesn’t belong in the All Star Game championed on Twitter by fans of other teams. And Melancon’s issues with tie ballgames reared their heads again. This is a very sour note to end the series on and head into San Diego (an actual good baseball team) with.

Comment of the Day

No comments with more than 2 rec’s today, unsurprising for such a depressing day game. Not exactly a positive vibe either, be ware of reading.

Fangraphs

Next Up

An off day on Thursday for travel to San Diego. Then we’ll play at 6:40pm Arizona time against the Padres on Friday (AppleTV+). The D’Backs will throw offer Bumgarner up as sacrifice on the mound against TBD from San Diego.