AZ Snake Pit - Game #158, 9/25: Diamondbacks 4, Dodgers 3An unofficial Arizona Diamondbacks community and bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47033/azsnakepit_f.png2018-09-26T02:56:35-04:00http://www.azsnakepit.com/rss/stream/176677292018-09-26T02:56:35-04:002018-09-26T02:56:35-04:00D’backs 4, Dodgers 3: Dodging Defeat
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<img alt="Los Angeles Dodgers v Arizona Diamondbacks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/w8c9oimjrNQe908YKRHDvm9qA_I=/0x820:2040x2180/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61546543/1040553930.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Los Angeles inches closer to missing the postseason.</p> <p id="Ulljc9">Tonight’s contest meant relatively nothing for the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Arizona Diamondbacks</a> other than final record and draft position, but it was critically important to the postseason chances of both the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> and <a href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Colorado Rockies</a>. For that reason, it was a must win to prevent the Dodgers from playing baseball in October and send their troll fans to bed in tears instead of blowing up my Twitter mentions at 1:00 A.M. because they have no lives, and I absolutely love run-on sentences when I have the opportunity to insult those crybabies. You mad?</p>
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<p id="Q8kLxv"><span>Matt Koch</span> took the hill for his 14th start on the MLB season and was solid yet unspectacular at the same time, as he has been for much of the year. 6 of his 13 outs recorded were of the ground ball variety including two double plays. Torey Lovullo pulled <span>Koch</span> from the game with 1 out in the 5th inning having only thrown 68 pitches, afforded the luxury of relying on his bullpen for the second half of the game due to expanded rosters. The only run <span>Koch</span> allowed was a solo home run to <span>Cody Bellinger</span> in the 2nd inning. Beyond that, the other 7 baserunners he allowed outside of the home run, 4 hits and 3 walks, were scattered effectively to prevent any further Dodger scum runs.</p>
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<p id="zuRHyA">Inexplicably, Arizona managed to string together baserunners with two outs in the bottom of the 6th and plate them as well. <span>Jon Jay</span> singled to spark the inning followed by a walk from Ketel Marte. David Peralta laced a double to right center field scoring both men giving Arizona a 2-1 lead.</p>
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<p id="mvji6D">With the game tied at 2, Arizona was able to load the bases with one out in bottom of the 7th. A.j. Pollock singled and was advanced to third on a loud double from Chris Owings. Pollock nearly blew through Tony Perezchica’s stop sign at third base, but caught himself a third of the way to home. <span>Dave Roberts</span> elected to intentionally walk pinch hitter <span>Eduardo Escobar</span> to load the bases with only a single out. As we’ve seen time and again this season, the D’backs were unable to bust the game wide open scoring only a single run in the inning on a single from <span>Ildemaro Vargas</span> taking a 3-2 lead.</p>
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<p id="D7G79Z">D’backs fans got a look at what half of next season’s bullpen could look like. <span>Jimmie Sherfy</span>, <span>Silvino Bracho</span>, and <span>Yoan Lopez</span> combined to throw 3 <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>3</sub> innings giving up 3 hits and 1 earned run on 4 strikeouts. <span>Sherfy</span> didn’t allow a single batter faced to reach base, and <span>Lopez</span> provided quite the show we’ve been anticipating in the 8th. After giving up a leadoff double to <span>Manny Machado</span>, Lopez got <span>Bellinger</span> to fly out, and then proceeded to strikeout <span>Yasiel Puig</span> and Alex Verdugo. Yoan was understandably fired up after striking out Verdugo to end the inning, approaching 100 mph, and did not hesitate to show his emotion on the mound. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">After Lopez gave up a lead-off double to Machado, he strikes out Bellinger, Puig and Verdugo to end the threat. <a href="https://t.co/hWDmb83JOC">pic.twitter.com/hWDmb83JOC</a></p>— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/FOXSPORTSAZ/status/1044806633321385989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2018</a>
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<p id="HPwfj3"><span>Machado</span> appeared to be irked by the gesture and stared Lopez down as he walked back to the dugout. Personally, I am a fan of the display as it is something this team has been lacking severely at times especially recently. Think of how far Lopez has had to come to reach this point in his career. Defecting to America from Cuba, the enormous expectations heaped on him, leaving the minor leagues unannounced, and not to mention a horrendous MLB debut in Houston earlier this month. It was a tremendous moment for him tonight, however small it may seem to us, for this young man. Don’t like him showing you up on the mound? Don’t let him beat you after putting a runner in scoring position with no outs.</p>
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<p id="9OlEvQ">That set the stage for <span>Brad Boxberger</span> to earn his first save since September 7th, but sooner or later Box is gonna let you down. Okay, it wasn’t entirely his fault, but still. After getitng ahead in the count 0-2 to Enrique Hernandez to begin the top of the 9th, Hernandez reached first on a single. He stole second during the next at bat, but catcher <span>Chris Stewart</span>’s pickoff attempt sailed wide well into the outfield allowing Hernandez to take third. He scored on a ground rule double from pinch hitter <span>Chris Taylor</span> tying the game at 3. </p>
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<p id="diHMvY">Some things never change, but this game was not destined to end as so many had earlier in the month. Tonight we were reminded of the opportunity the Arizona Diamondbacks had coming into the month, but pissed away every chance they got. Rather than lay down, die, and take the loss, Eduardo Escobar put an end to it with one swing of the bat, a solo home run to right field on a full count for the walk off victory. It meant nothing for Arizona, but everything to the Rockies and the Dodgers. For fans like me, it was a painful reminder of what could have been.</p>
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<div id="KAqg44"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="1">
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<th colspan="2">Roll Call Info</th>
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<td width="150">Total comments</td>
<td>258</td>
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<td>Total commenters</td>
<td>20</td>
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<td>Commenter list</td>
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<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/AZDovs11">AZDovs11</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/AzDbackfanInDc">AzDbackfanInDc</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/AzRattler">AzRattler</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/BittenSnake">BittenSnake</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/DORRITO">DORRITO</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/DesertRock">DesertRock</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Dirtbag%20Davis">Dirtbag Davis</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/GuruB">GuruB</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Jackwriter">Jackwriter</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Jim%20McLennan">Jim McLennan</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Johnneu">Johnneu</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Keegan%20Thompson">Keegan Thompson</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Makakilo">Makakilo</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/MikeMono">MikeMono</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/MrMrrbi">MrMrrbi</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Rockkstarr12">Rockkstarr12</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/edbigghead">edbigghead</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/megnetic">megnetic</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/onedotfive">onedotfive</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/suroeste">suroeste</a>
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<td>Story URLs</td>
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<div><a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/2018/9/25/17903998/gameday-thread-158-9-25-vs-dodgers">https://www.azsnakepit.com/2018/9/25/17903998/gameday-thread-158-9-25-vs-dodgers</a></div>
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<p id="CO0qm8">That’s a wrap on the 2018 season for me friends. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my recaps this season as much as I’ve had writing them. I appreciate your membership to this blog. As always, special thanks to Jim for giving us access to your castle and the opportunity to contribute. It’s a tragedy things had to end as they have this season, but that’s why we play the game. Stick around through the offseason as we as a staff discuss what the hell went wrong and where to go from here.</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2018/9/26/17904676/dbacks-4-dodgers-3-dodging-defeat-chavez-latrine-go-play-golfKeegan Thompson2018-09-26T01:08:16-04:002018-09-26T01:08:16-04:00Arizona Diamondbacks 4, Los Angeles Dodgers 3
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<img alt="Los Angeles Dodgers v Arizona Diamondbacks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TTtB5QbVXNmWchPWqiu5GyJRYyA=/0x0:3000x2000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61545991/1040529884.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Too much to ask for smooth seas?</p> <p id="bpYlcy">If for nothing else, the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Arizona Diamondbacks</a> inched closer to finishing with a record above .500 and knocked the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Los Angeles Dodgers</a> lead in the division to within a half game of the <a href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Colorado Rockies</a>. Yoan Lopez pitched the 8th inning, and other than the leadoff double he allowed to <span>Manny Machado</span> he was absolute dynamite retiring the next three he faced, two on strikeouts. Arizona couldn’t capitalize with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 7th, but they did enough to eek out a one run victory. </p>
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<p id="3h9blF"><span>Brad Boxberger</span> earned his first save since... *checks notes... just kidding he blew yet another save. Enrique Hernandez led off the 9th with a single, stole second base, and advanced to third on the errant pickoff throw from whatever-the-hell-his-name-is-behind-the-plate Stewart. Chris Taylor tied the game at three with a ground rule double. </p>
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<p id="0q1r84">Deadline acquisition <span>Eduardo Escobar</span> sealed the deal with a walk off home run off of <span>Kenta Maeda</span> in the bottom of the ninth. Full recap forthcoming. </p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/diamondbacks-gamedays/2018/9/26/17904518/arizona-diamondbacks-los-angeles-dodgers-yoan-lopezKeegan Thompson2018-09-25T21:30:01-04:002018-09-25T21:30:01-04:00Gameday Thread, #158; 9/25 vs. Dodgers
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<img alt="Historical U.S. Documents on Display" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ty8wgEKZK8aL7GDhCIT9kwcrKz0=/0x1329:2000x2662/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61543813/1322228.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Wonder if we have the right to beat the Dodgers?</p> <div id="ipgshK">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">September 25 - 1789: U.S. - Congress passed twelve amendments to the Constitution including ten that are known as the Bill of Rights. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/history?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#history</a></p>— Today In History (@Yesterday_Today) <a href="https://twitter.com/Yesterday_Today/status/1044620929991680000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2018</a>
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https://www.azsnakepit.com/2018/9/25/17903998/gameday-thread-158-9-25-vs-dodgersJim McLennan2018-09-25T20:30:02-04:002018-09-25T20:30:02-04:00Preview, #158: 9/25 vs. Dodgers
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<img alt="Los Angeles Dodgers v Arizona Diamondbacks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7VebxIU8m_xk_SlY-8KjocE8fFU=/0x0:3000x2000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61543093/1039700946.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Peralta and Goldschmidt return, Ahmed sits for the second game against the Dodgers. </p> <div id="T3ppXX">
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<h3>Today's Lineups</h3>
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<th align="left">DODGERS</th>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Joc Pederson - LF</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Jon Jay - RF</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Justin Turner - 3B</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Ketel Marte - SS</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Max Muncy - 1B</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">David Peralta - LF</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Manny Machado - SS</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Paul Goldschmidt - 1B</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Cody Bellinger - CF</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Daniel Descalso - 2B</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Yasiel Puig - RF</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">A.J. Pollock - CF</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Yasmani Grandal - C</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Chris Owings - 3B</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Enrique Hernandez - 2B</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">John Ryan Murphy - C</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Walker Buehler - RHP</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Matt Koch - RHP</td>
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<p id="bGO3rf">No more Christian Walker the rest of the season for the D-backs. The beaning he got last night from the Dodgers resulted in a sinus fracture, so he’s out for the remaining five games. <a href="https://twitter.com/FOXSPORTSAZ/status/1044729621374103553">According to</a> Fox Sports Arizona, “He’ll have surgery tomorrow, which will necessitate his jaw wired shut for a week and a liquid diet for a month.” Damn. Not exactly my idea of a fun way to start the off-season. His absence might play into a bit more of a normal line-up for the D-backs, with Paul Goldschmidt and David Peralta, the two most regular starters for the team (with 152 and 133 starts respectively) back in the line-up tonight. No Nick Ahmed though, who is #3 on that list, having started 132 times. </p>
<p id="i0sffs">Despite all the fuss about Torey Lovullo’s line-up choices last night, it wasn’t particularly the offense which was to blame for the loss in the end. Last night’s defeat was - and stop me if you’ve heard this before - another loss chalked up to the D-backs bullpen. Their failures have now become so expected that I couldn’t even be bothered to keep watching after Ketel Marte’s RBI single gave us a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning. The D-backs have lost no less than <em>twenty</em> games which they were leading at the end of the fifth - that’s twice as many as the ten games they have won when trailing after five. It’s also FOUR TIMES as many defeats as last year, where they went 65-5 when leading through the same point. </p>
<p id="5CmUZ6">For the month, Arizona’s relievers are now 1-7, with a 6.38 ERA for September. That’s their lowest winning percentage in over six years - they went 0-3 in July 2012 - and lowest winning percentage EVER for a month with more than six decisions. Since the break, they’re 6-17, which even before last night had already set a franchise record for most second-half losses by the bullpen, breaking the previous worst of fifteen set in 2000 and 2014. It’s an especially unimpressive record, given the second-half has been particularly short this year. Arizona has only played 59 times since the break so far, compared to 73 in 2018. </p>
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https://www.azsnakepit.com/diamondbacks-gamedays/2018/9/25/17903686/preview-158-9-25-vs-dodgersJim McLennan