Game #110: Pirates 6 @ Diamondbacks 4

It’s a late one for me on the east coast tonight. I hope I have enough caffeine to make it through! Arizona has been capitalizing on playing a weak opponent. Let’s see if that continued on August 10!

First

Top

Newman welcomed Madbum with a single to left. After a long at bat, Reynolds grounded out to third, but it was a hit and run, so no double play. Hayes then worked a long walk. Madbum does not look good at all tonight. But Gamel grounded into a double play, so no actual damage done other than Bumgarner’s pitch count (25 already - 4 batters). He was also pitching from the far third base side of the rubber. They made a huge deal about this. It’ll be interesting to see if that sticks the rest of the game given how uncomfortable he looked out there.

Bottom

McCarthy hit a single to left that was very nearly caught, but short hopped the fielder. Thomas grounded into a double play (a sad dribbler straight back to the pitcher). Marte worked a fairly long at bat but ended up lining out to second. 0-0 TIE

Second

Top

Chavis grounded out to pitcher. Castro (henceforth known as Cell Phone Guy) singled over a jumping Marte. Madbum struck Allen out. Marcano then flew out to center. An easier inning, but Madbum still at 39 pitches already.

Bottom

Walker struck out on three pitches, a thoroughly uncompetitive at bat. Too bad after last night’s “heroics.” Varsho lazily flew out to center in another less than stellar at bat. Rivera had the best at bat of the inning, but struck out swinging. 0-0 TIE

Third

Top

Madbum started the third by walking Delay. Then Newman bunted to third, which Rivera could not play at all. Learning what the other side of that feels like. Reynolds struck out swinging though. One big bat foiled. Hayes then flew out to deep right, moving Delay to third. Two big bats down, one to go. Newman stole second without a throw from Kelly. Gamel then split the right/center gap with a beautiful double, scoring two runs. Chavis ended the inning by looking at strike three on the outside corner. 60 pitches.

Bottom

Against all odds, Beer actually put the ball in play! But it was right to first base and he doesn’t have the speed to make that play remotely close. Kelly broke his bat and popped up to short stop. Perdomo struck out looking. Keller has faced the minimum so far. 2-0 PITTSBURGH

Fourth

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Cell Phone Guy struck out looking. Allen smashed a ball to deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep center field but Alek Thomas ran it down! He didn’t even have to leave his feet. Marcano then took an 0-2 pitch off his hand. Delay hit an easy grounder that Marte couldn’t grab because he was protecting the bag. Marcano to third. It wasn’t a bad play, just an unlucky turn of events. Delay got caught in a run down, but Marcano scored when the defense kinda sorta just FORGOT about the runner at third... End of the inning.

Bottom

McCarthy took a pitch off his back (left) foot. Thomas mashed a grounder through the hole between first and second; McCarthy to third. Marte did the exact same thing as Thomas, this time SCORING MCCARTHY and moving Thomas to third! Walker lined out to left, SCORING THOMAS, but Marte couldn’t move up. Varsho grounded out to second and they chose to eliminate Marte but Daulton was too fast to turn two. Rivera bounced a slow ball up the middle but the throw beat him. 3-2 PITTSBURGH

Fifth

Top

Newman struck out swinging. Madbum still pitching from the far right third base side of the rubber. It’s starting to work. As I write that, Reynolds flew out to deep left, scarily deep, but McCarthy grabbed it without issues. Hayes struck out swinging as well.

Bottom

Beer led off with a walk! He got himself on base! I’m not sure the last time that happened during a game a reviewed! Kelly flew out to center. Perdomo flew out to deeeeeeeeeeeep right and very nearly hit it over Gamel’s head. Sadly Beer was the runner, so despite a prime opportunity to take second with the fielder off-balance, he was unable to do it. McCarthy nearly got a ball past Marcano in left, but he made a nice diving catch. End of the inning. 3-2 PITTSBURGH

Sixth

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Gamel flew out to left. Chavis struck out swinging. Cell Phone Guy hit a stand up triple just over Varsho’s head in right. An unfortunate side effect of a short outfielder. Allen then doubled to right in a very similar fashion, scoring Cell Phone Guy. Marcano singled to short right, scoring Allen and Marcano took second on the throw home. Marcano stole third. Delay struck out swinging, but damage done.

Bottom

Alek hit a chopper to short and he beat the throw. Marte flew out to center. Walker then singled to the opposite field (right), moving Thomas to right! Holderman in to pitch for Pittsburgh. Varsho flew out to center which Allen made a nice sliding grab on, but THOMAS SCORED. Rivera grounded out to third. 5-3 PITTSBURGH

Seventh

Top

Ramirez replaced Bumgarner. Newman singled to left. Reynolds then walked. Hayes struck out swinging. Gamel grounded to short and they got Reynolds at second, but no one else. Chavis popped out to right. No damage done, somewhat amazingly.

Bottom

Beer popped out to short. Kelly then struck out swinging on three pitches. Perdomo took a pitch off the back of his knee. McCarthy popped out to third in foul territory. 5-3 PITTSBURGH

Eighth

Top

Cell Phone Guy struck out swinging. Allen took one off the quad. Then he stole second. Marcano struck out looking. Delay lined out to third.

Bottom

Crowe now on the mound for Pittsburgh. Thomas broke his bat on a grounder to second. Same place as his last groundball single, but they learned... Marte flew out to deep center, but it stayed up long enough to be caught. Walker struck out swinging. 5-3 PITTSBURGH

Ninth

Top

Uceta in for the Diamondbacks. Newman grounded out to third. Reynolds doubled to deep center. Hayes singled to right, Reynolds to third. Gamel grounded to second and they got Hayes at second, but no one else; Reynolds scored. Chavis struck out swinging.

Bottom

Varsho singled to left/center. Rivera singled past short stop, advancing Varsho to second. Crowe then pitched around Beer (can’t absolutely confirm that’s what happened, but nothing was remotely close). Alcantara then ran for him. Kelly hit a one-hopper to third, which resulted in a confusing play the umps did not signal correctly during the play. It was challenged by Arizona. Before the challenge, it was a force out at second and tag out ALSO at second (Alcantara forced, Rivera tagged with his foot off the bag - I am classifying this a TOOTBLAN because if he simply didn’t shift his body weight he would have been safe). After review, the calls stand. Kelly at first, Varsho scored, and Rojas batting for Perdomo. Stout pitching for the Pirates and Luplow hits for Rojas instead. Luplow adds to his Arizona legacy with a lazy pop up to right field. Game over. 6-4 PITTSBURGH FINAL

Conclusion

This was a game of highs and lows. Madbum started and ended extremely weak, but actually looked ace-like at times tonight. And the defense looked far worse than they actually played because of some unfortunate happenings (Marte protecting the bag from a steal on a grounder, or Varsho needing an extra inch or two in wingspan). That’s not to discount the abysmal rundown of the fourth though. And on the other side, the Pirates defenders got the luck our defenders lacked on several similar plays.

Overall this game felt very winnable until the sixth. Then it felt like everyone just wanted it over. Until the bottom of the ninth at least; then everyone wanted to try and it got confusing real fast. Some unfortunate body weight shifting probably became the most important second of the game for Arizona...

Fangraphs

Comment of the Day

goes to Michael for his astute summation of MLB.tv, prompted by my complaining about needing to watch the game via the Bally app (which is absolutely horrendous if you’ve never tried)... It’s 2022. Family Feud has it’s own streaming app built into my tv. It should NOT be this difficult to watch a baseball game.

Up Next

Tomorrow its an early game: 12:40pm Arizona Time. Merrill Kelly (2.86 ERA, 10-5) pitches opposite JT Brubaker (4.49 ERA, 2-10).