Diamondbacks 2, Rockies 6: “No Way to Prevent This,” Says Manager of Only Team This Regularly Happens To

The Diamondbacks played a wet, rainy, and miserable game tonight in Colorado. There really is no justifiable reason that stadium doesn’t have a roof, but I digress. At least it wasn’t snowing. The Arizona offense wasted no time in, well... wasting an opportunity. Jarrod Dyson and Ketel Marte started things off with back-to-back singles. However, Eduardo Escobar lined out to center for the first out, and then Adam Jones grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Another, slightly lesser, chance was squandered in the top of the second inning. Tim Locastro doubled with one out, and then moved to second on a sac fly off the bat of Nick Ahmed. This lead to Antionio Sezatela, the Rockies’ starting pitcher, intentionally walking Alex Avila, who then stole second base as well. However, Merrill Kelly was the player at the plate, and he struck out for the third out.

Arizona would be the first to score on the night, however. Eduardo Escobar made sure of that. He hit a two out, solo shot to center field in the third inning to put the Diamondbacks on top. They put together yet another chance to score in the fourth inning, as well. Locastro legged out a one out single on a slow roller to third. Ahmed followed that up with a more traditional single to put two on with one out for Alex Avila. He grounded out, moving the runners to second and third, but unfortunately once again Merrill Kelly was unable to help his own cause and lined out to second. 1-0 Diamondbacks

Meanwhile, despite his offensive failings, Kelly had been doing well on the pitching rubber. He sat the side down in order in the first, and despite Nolan Arenado reaching on an error by Walker, still sat down the side in order thanks to a double play from Daniel Murphy. It was the same script in the third, though instead of an error, it was an Ian Desmond single leading to the double play.

Things didn’t go as smoothly in the fourth. Ramiel Tapia lead off with a double, but it looked like Kelly might get out of it after Trevor Story and David Dahl grounded out for the first couple of outs. The Dahl ground out did move Tapia to third, and that would prove important. Arenado was next, and he ended up drawing a walk. However, the fourth ball was also a wild pitch, which allowed Tapia to easily score, tying the game. Two pitches later, Arenado would also score, thanks to a Daniel Murphy double. Kelly finally was able to end the inning, getting Ryan McMahon to ground out to first for the final out, but not before the Rockies were able to take the lead. 2-1 Rockies

The Diamondbacks would get a run back in the top of the fifth. Ketel Marte doubled, and Escobar brought him home with a single. That would be where it stopped, though, as Jones flew out and Walker struck out swinging to end any other potential threat they could have put together. Tied at 2

It stayed their until the seventh. Kelly got the first two outs easily, but then gave up a single to Desmond. As has often been the case the past few years, Kelly was left in one batter too long, and gave up a two run jack on his 104 pitch of the night to Chris Iannetta, giving the lead back to Colorado. Lovullo then pulled Kelly in favor of new call up Stefan Chrichton, who got the final out of the seventh. 4-2 Rockies

As if leaving Kelly in wasn’t questionable enough, Lovullo called upon the former Chosen One, Archie Bradley for the eighth inning. With one out, he walked Trevor Story. With two outs, he walked Arenado and Murphy, loading the bases. What happened next felt truly inevitable. Ryan McMahon doubled, brining home two runs. That extended the Rockies lead to four, and sealed away the game completely. The Diamondbacks went down in order in the ninth and that was all she wrote.

The Diamondbacks have played the last 20 innings at Coors Field. They have only managed 5 runs over that time. Also, Christian Walker was hitting .169 with one home run in the month of May before he went 0-for-4 tonight. Just throwing some random facts out there.

Eduardo Escobar put together an impressive 25.7% WPA tonight, but it was completely negated thanks to the -22.3% from Adam Jones, -16.7% Merrill Kelly put together as a hitter, -16.1% from Christian Walker, and -13.1% from Jarrod Dyson. I ragged on the pitching a lot in the recap, but even with amazing pitching, winning is going to be hard with nights like that on the offensive side of the inning.

455 comments tonight. Justin27 just eeked out DC by one comment for the top spot, and Rockstarr rounded out the top three. All present were:

AzDbackfanInDc, AzRattler, GuruB, Jim McLennan, Jimmy Pop SD, Johnneu, Justin27, Makakilo, Michael McDermott, MrMrrbi, NikT77, Oldenschoole, Rockkstarr12, Schilling2001, Smurf1000, Snake_Bitten, Sprankton, Wesley Baier, asteroid, gamepass, katers15, kilnborn, onedotfive, suroeste

No red comments in the GDT, but there was one in the quick recap, and I want there to be a CotN this time, so I’m going to give it to this gem from FishOnEmm!

5:40 PM start time tomorrow. Robbie Ray starts for the Diamondbacks, while the rest of the team tries to remember what they were doing to hit so well in San Francisco. See you then!