AZ Snake Pit - Game #52: 9/18, Diamondbacks 6, Astros 3An unofficial Arizona Diamondbacks community and bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47033/azsnakepit_f.png2020-09-18T23:39:12-04:00http://www.azsnakepit.com/rss/stream/212101422020-09-18T23:39:12-04:002020-09-18T23:39:12-04:00Diamondbacks 6, Astros 3: Our Zac’s better than your Zack
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<figcaption>Literally what my first beer looked like</figcaption>
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<p>My second to last Beercap, let’s make it count.</p> <p id="2X4wxQ"><strong>Record: 20-32. 162-game pace: 54-86. Change on 2019: -10.</strong></p>
<p id="lX6zlj">Here we are, only one more Beercap to go after tonight. It’s been a strange and somewhat depressing season, but that’s 2020 for you. </p>
<p id="Usj56p">Speaking of 2020 this week’s Bruteside Chat was put on hold thanks to my phone literally overheating midway through the interview....2020 keeps on giving.</p>
<p id="Lu3JKE">Enough whining though, let’s drink!!!!!!!!</p>
<h4 id="kKekW2"><strong>Beer 1: Shrimp, You Are What You Drink Blonde Ale with Honey and Prickly Pear by Arizona Wilderness 5.8% abv</strong></h4>
<p id="iggZbx">Wow, my quest to change up my first inning palate has lead me to something that reminds me of one of those slurpys I used to get after little league games way back when. That sounds kinda bad I know, but it takes me back to those sweet icy treats we’d all enjoy after a hot day. </p>
<p id="VoXn59">This game also represents a little bit of nostalgia as we get to see our old friend Greinke, though now in the other dugout. Facing him is our young ace Gallen, who got a little roughed up his last outing but has overall been amazing in this shortened season. Should make for a interesting game to watch and hopefully one I’ll enjoy writing on as well. <br>It really is a special treat to hear Greinke curse as he gives up a single to Walker, something we’d never had heard during any normal season. Not to mention I literally just heard him tell the catcher what he was gonna throw next. Miss you more and more Greinke......</p>
<p id="q1VhRc">Greinke’s first half is solid, but after letting the first two batters reach Gallen’s half looks anything but. Immediately following that Brantley crushes a long single and suddenly the bases are juiced for the ‘Stros with no outs. FML.</p>
<p id="cMGccg">One run goes across after a wild pitch, but somehow that’s the only run he allows Obviously not an ideal inning, but with how it started I’ll chalk that up as a victory for Gallen. 0-1 Astros going in to 2nd</p>
<p id="Ut4su8">No response by our bats in the 2nd, something I feel like I’ve written about a lot this year. Ughhhhhh</p>
<h4 id="eQklbL"><strong>Beer 2: Stratum IPA by Pueblo Vida 6.5% abv</strong></h4>
<p id="Y33SZH">We return now to your regularly scheduled IPAcap, sorry haters. So smooth, so crisp, so pleasant, so full of floral aroma and with only a a gentle malty aftertaste. This my fellow readers is the pinnacle of a New England Style IPA. </p>
<p id="8knQZM">Just as I begin to enjoy this sublime ale Gallen rediscovers his own sublimeness; crushing the Astros hopes of further runs in the bottom of the 2nd with a 1-2-3 inning. <br>Greinke curses once more, but just as before his expletives only lead to one hit. Nothing more. Still 0-1 going in to the bottom of the 3rd. </p>
<p id="wDIKCf">Tucker extends that Astros lead to 2 runs in the 3rd. Gallen’s wheels haven’t fallen off but they’re getting a bit shaky and we’re only in the 4th....0-2 Astros.</p>
<p id="NHFozO">VanMeter and Walker reach to start the 4th and Kole makes Greinke pay in a HUGE way with a devastating homer in to right field. That no doubt later tatter gives us a 3-2 lead. I’ll drink to that. <br>Gallen makes the most of his new lease on life and powers through the 4th mostly unscathed. His pitch count is still far too high for my liking, but he’s got a lead to work with so I can’t complain too much. </p>
<p id="yjiwli">Springer ties things up for the Astros in the 5th with a towering two run blast to center. Followed by a couple frames of quietness after Greinke leaves the mound leading to.... <br></p>
<h4 id="gp32zp"><strong>Beer 3: Modelo Negra by Cerveceria Modelo 5.4% abv</strong></h4>
<p id="lSJNXb">Gotta keep it a little different, and even though this beer sells many THOUSANDS more barrels than any micro brewery I love it really is a great lager. Also since Mexican food is on the menu tonight I can’t think of a better beer to go with it. </p>
<p id="udBL2O">Pavin Smith gets the 7th going in a huge way with an RBI triple followed immediately by a Varsho double and we’re right back in to this. 5-3 Dbacks. </p>
<p id="jaJ0pU">Kole wasn’t done with the Astros, not by a long shot with another homer to help provide a little run cushion for us. A cushion that we’d ride out the rest of the way to glory with the bullpen not failing at life for one of the few times this season. </p>
<p id="vYmEWz">Drink up my friends, for tonight we’re winners!!</p>
<h4 id="wU2oAS">Bells and whistles, by Jim</h4>
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<div id="Pn5J8o"><p style="text-align:center"><b>Click <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2020-09-18&team=Astros&dh=0&season=2020" target="_blank">here</a> for details, at Fangraphs.com</b>
<br><b>Zac: Kole Calhoun, +26.3=%</b>
<br>Zach: Pavin Smith, +22.6%
<br><b><i>Zack: Josh Rojas, -9.6%%</i></b></p></div>
<p id="IsFyxS">Present in the Gameday Thread were: AzDbackfanInDc, Bookie Killer, ChuckJohnson56, Diamondhacks, GuruB, Jack Sommers, Jim McLennan, Makakilo, Michael McDermott, MrMrrbi, Oldenschoole, Preston Salisbury, Rockkstarr12, Schilling2001, Snake_Bitten, gzimmerm, kilnborn, makattack71 and since_98. Nothing turned Sedona Red, and the only comment with three recs was “Greinke is amazing”. So, that’s a “no” from me, dog - Gallen is better. The D-backs took the lead for him the seventh, and ended a streak of 18 consecutive winless outings for D-backs starters: Zac was also the <em>last </em>Arizona starter to get a W, back on August 28. </p>
<p id="OvgrBD">We’ll be back at it tomorrow, with a 4:10 pm first pitch, and Luke Weaver on the mound for the Diamondbacks. Me, I’m off <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abCEpF1I0tM">to watch this</a>. There may be alcohol involved. </p>
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https://www.azsnakepit.com/2020/9/18/21445428/diamondbacks-6-astros-3-our-zacs-better-than-your-zackTurambar2020-09-18T20:00:00-04:002020-09-18T20:00:00-04:00Gameday Thread, #52: 9/18 @ Astros
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">September 18 - 1932: Hollywood - Welsh born actress Peg Entwistle (24), commited suicide by jumping from the letter "H" in the Hollywood sign. <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/1307034918803984384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a>
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https://www.azsnakepit.com/2020/9/18/21446185/gameday-thread-52-9-18-astrosJim McLennan2020-09-18T19:00:00-04:002020-09-18T19:00:00-04:00Preview #52: 9/18 @ Astros
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<img alt="Arizona Diamondbacks v New York Yankees" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/93LjJzlIKK0ZulM6XiQXhItL1Hg=/1x0:3979x2652/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67433697/1166666015.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Into the heart of darkness go the D-backs. to face an old friend. </p> <div id="edSFhS">
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<h3>Today's Lineups</h3>
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<th align="left">DIAMONDBACKS</th>
<th align="left">ASTROS</th>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Josh Rojas - 2B</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">George Springer - CF</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Josh VanMeter - 3B</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Jose Altuve - 2B</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Christian Walker - 1B</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Michael Brantley - LF</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Kole Calhoun - RF</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Alex Bregman - 3B</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">David Peralta - LF</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Kyle Tucker - DH</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Nick Ahmed - SS</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Yuli Gurriel - 1B</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Pavin Smith - DH</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Carlos Correa - SS</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Daulton Varsho - CF</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Josh Reddick - RF</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Carson Kelly - C</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Martin Maldonado - C</td>
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<td class="td-last td-name"></td>
<td class="td-first td-name"></td>
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<td class="td-last td-name">Zac Gallen - RHP</td>
<td class="td-first td-name">Zack Greinke - RHP</td>
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<p id="ZPP8LJ"><strong>Games until the blessed end of the season: 9.</strong></p>
<p id="I7TtEs">Probably no-one is happier than the Astros that the 2020 season has had to unfold behind closed doors. Without it, every road-game would have been a litany of trash-can banging and heckling; deservedly so, though I wonder what the statute of limitations is on such things? I’m guessing, for as long as anyone involved in their little scheme is still with the club. I mean, we Arizona fans still hate the Brewers, and will for as long as Ryan Braun continues to be a thing. But I suspect, by the time next April comes around, if there are people in the stands then, the intensity may not be there. Personally, hey, when it comes to stopping the Dodgers, I’m in the “by any means necessary” camp. :)</p>
<p id="XWUFUF">It’s strange to think that this is the penultimate weekend of Diamondbacks baseball for 2020. In a regular season, we would not even be at the one-third point. Though admittedly, it’s probably no bad thing. The D-backs’ current 19-32 record is the lowest through 51 games since 2004 (18-33), with 1998 (16-35) the only other worse mark. The odds are strongly against Arizona making the post-season after such a start. Coincidentally, the only team in the wild-card era to have done so were these Astros, who went 19-32 in 2005, before rebounding to an 89-win record, and reached the World Series. But let’s face it, I’m quite fine with cutting our losses. </p>
<h4 id="XFgGZl">Pre-game audio with Torey Lovullo</h4>
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<p id="FQCndF"><strong>Andy Young:</strong> got hit by a pitch 4 days ago and had to have his right hamate bone surgically removed and is done for the season. They expect him to be recovered by spring training.</p>
<p id="J2uhoN"><strong>Ketel Marte: </strong>Torey still believes Ketel will get on the field next week. Still working through his progression. Will hit against coach pitch tomorrow. Time is running out. Sounds like he’ll only get a few games in at most.</p>
<p id="g8YW3W"><strong>Taylor Widener:</strong> still playing long toss. Still day to day</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">It’s Friday afternoon...been a rough <a href="https://twitter.com/Dbacks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DBacks</a> mini season but I think we can all agree with Torey’s call for FRIDAY BEERS <a href="https://t.co/zUkbnx209V">pic.twitter.com/zUkbnx209V</a></p>— Clue Heywood (@ClueHeywood) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClueHeywood/status/1307043854978347008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2020</a>
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<p id="1mmbZY">Torey was asked about the <strong>Cameo</strong> <strong>videos</strong> he has been doing (above) with 100% of the proceeds going to charity to support children with special needs. Visit <a href="https://www.moriahus.org/us/">https://www.moriahus.org/us/</a> to learn more.</p>
<p id="HbVfqh">Asked about the veterans that know <strong>Zack Greinke</strong> getting to face him tonight, “<em>We’ve got to try to frustrate him, we’ve got to try to counter him, try to beat him. It’s going to be a great game of cat and mouse. We know Zach very well…..We know what he looks like when he’s getting into a rhythm, we know what he looks like when he’s frustrated.”</em></p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2020/9/18/21446105/preview-52-9-18-astrosJim McLennanJack Sommers