Atlanta 2 @ Arizona 3

Record: 35-23 BEST IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE

NL West Position: First place, currently half a game ahead of LAD (at time of posting)

Wild Card Position: Irrelevant right now, but would be 1st with a 4.5-5.0 game lead

Magic Number (per @imstillhungry95 on Twitter): 105

Both teams came to play to start this one off. Acuna beat out an infield single to lead it off, but attempted to steal on THE Gabby Moreno. He paid the appropriate price: one out (after a challenge). Luckily, the Diamondbacks had come out of the first with runs of their own after Perdomo reached on a generous “hit” Arcia bobbled, Carroll getting his own infield single and Gurriel lacing a doubled down the left field line scoring both.

Kelly settled in after the Acuna “steal”, getting the next four hitters out before Rosario homered into the pool. He then immediately walked Albies and failed to pick him off with 3 throw overs, earning himself a new-balk (is there a term for TOOTBLAN from a pitcher yet?), but got Arcia to ground out ending the inning with a lead.

My VPN decided to toy with my internet connection in the third. I saw Carroll rob Harris III of a bloop single and then had to catch up. Apparently there was a nifty play at the plate to end the top of the inning! And Perdomo got himself thrown out at second after a single. Which was too bad because Carroll walked on four pitches and Walker plated him with a double!

Ahmed doubled in the fourth. Literally nothing else happened. Pitchers were on point. This continued until the seventh when Rosario homered a second time. But Merrill the Mainstay did his thing and got through the inning without further issue again. The bottom of the inning was almost interesting when Ahmed walked and Perdomo flew out to deeeeeeep right field, missing a home run by a couple feet.

At that point, Austin Adams came in for the snakes and shut the top of Atlanta’s order down with two strike outs. Collin McHugh was the next pitcher to take the mound against Arizona. He experienced zero problems putting them down in order, likely ending Marte’s on-base streak.

Castro got the ninth. Murphy singled to Ahmed and then Hilliard ran for him. Gurriel made a FANTASTIC (for him) play at the left field wall to steal an out from d’Arnaud! Unfortunately Rosario took advantage of Hilliard’s steal attempt to punch a dribbler through for a single, Hilliard to third. Ahmed broke to cover the steal and the ball just went through... Thankfully Albies flew out to very short left for the second out and Arcia grounded out to Castro to end the game!

3-2 ARIZONA WINS

Conclusion

This game was most certainly a pitcher’s duel between Kelly and Morton. Morton is ancient by MLB standards and Kelly isn’t exactly a spring chicken either, but both men were up to the task with some mistakes. Kelly’s mistake was pitching to Rosario. Morton’s was letting Corbin Carroll reach first base in front of power hitters.

Sadly Marte’s on-base streak ended tonight at 30 games. And the umpire was generous with his strike zone (helping the pitcher’s duel). But Perdomo looked good in the leadoff spot; hopefully he can put his horrid May batting average in the rearview mirror and go back to being the breakout star we’ve come to accept (remember last season? When so many were calling for his head? 12 months of development for the right personality can be huge).

Fangraphs

Ted Lasso - Lourdes Gurriel (WPA 13.1%)

Roy Kent - Merrill Kelly (WPA 22.1%)

Jamie Tartt - Eddie Rosario (WPA 39.7%)

Rupert Mannion - Ozzie Albies (-24.8%)

Comment of the Day

No arguments from this recapper. 100% this is an emphatic YES!

Up Next

A later game tomorrow night as Spencer Strider brings his strikeout records to Chase opposite Nelson. First Pitch at 7:10pm local Arizona Time.