AZ Snake Pit - Game #134, Diamondbacks 4, Giants 3An unofficial Arizona Diamondbacks community and bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47033/azsnakepit_f.png2013-09-01T00:49:33-04:00http://www.azsnakepit.com/rss/stream/44449992013-09-01T00:49:33-04:002013-09-01T00:49:33-04:00Diamondbacks 4, Giants 3: Black to the Future
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<figcaption>Ralph Freso</figcaption>
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<p>The Diamondbacks had a three-run lead, only to lose it in the seventh. However, that was simply setting up yet another walk-off win for the crowd of over 36,000 on hand at Chase Field for Alumni Night. </p> <h4>Record: 69-65. Pace: 83-79. Change: +3.</h4>
<p>Looks like I'm pinch-recapping this one, Marc not having replied to my politely inquisitive email regarding his recapping status. Apologies in advance, since my actual viewing of the game was pretty minimal: I'll largely be going off the box-scores and the reported level of angst or exultation, as provided by the Gameday Thread. So if I say anything dumb, it's not my fault, people....</p>
<p>I was wondering in the preview which version of <span>Trevor Cahill</span> would show up, and the first inning suggested it wasn't the good version, as he loaded the bases on a walk and a pair of two-out singles, before getting the Obese Raccoon to fly out. That was the start of a much better stretch for Cahill, who gave up his share of hits, but also generated his usual share of ground-balls, leading to crucial double-plays in both the fourth and fifth, in both cases when the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> had two men on-base. The latter was particularly fortuitous, after the first pair of Giants reached; another ground-out left the runner stranded on third.</p>
<p>After being shutout last night, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a>' offense took a while to show up tonight as well. Inevitably, it was <span>Martin Prado</span> who got the first hit for Arizona, one of three for him. That completed a red-hot month, in which Prado piled up 43 hits, hitting .374 over August and raising his batting average 24 points. If he has a September like that, he'll almost certainly end the season hitting .300. You'd have got long odds against that on May 24, when he was hitting .232. The D-backs first real scoring chance tonight came with two-out hits in the third by <span>Willie Bloomquist</span> and Adam Eaton, followed by a Goldschmidt walk, but the line stopped there, <span>Eric Chavez</span> ending the inning.</p>
<p>There was no such escape for the Giants in the fourth, however. Prado led off with a double, and an <span>Aaron Hill</span> single put runners on the corners. <span>Miguel Montero</span> broke the deadlock with an RBI single, and <span>Gerardo Parra</span> made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly. After Cahill bunted Montero to second, Bloomquist came through with an RBI single, scoring Montero. He was out advancing to second, but it should probably be classified as a sacrifice TOOTBLAN, since there's a good chance Miggy might have been dead at the plate, if the Giants hadn't been lured into cutting off the throw.</p>
<p>With one out in the bottom of the sixth and the score still 3-0 to Arizona, we loaded the bases again, and there was some debate about pinch-hitting for Cahill, since it was his spot that was up. At the time, he was still working on a shutout and had only thrown about 80 pitches, so I can understand Gibson's reluctance to pull him, in the hope of adding on. Cahill grounded in a force-out at home, and Bloomquist followed by ending the inning.</p>
<p>It probably isn't related, but Cahill in the seventh was a lot less effective. After a lead-off homer, he walked the next batter, who stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on an RBI triple. In the space of 18 pitches, Cahill had gone from cruising with a three-run lead, to having the tying run on third with one out. That was the end of his night: 6.1 innings, nine hits, three walks, and three strikeouts. He had conceded two runs, and was responsible for the man on third.</p>
<p>Eury de la Rosa came in and did what LOOGYs are supposed to do: get one out, fanning Brandon Belt. Josh Collmenter then replaced him, but couldn't repeat the feat: a single tied the game, the third run charged to Cahill and denying him a shot at victory. Chalk up another blown save to the Arizona bullpen - Collmenter's first of the season, actually, and he did put up a zero in the eighth. Our offense weren't able to score in the seventh or eighth, Hill flying out with two aboard in the former, the D-backs going down in order for the latter.</p>
<p>That meant, if the Diamondbacks were going to win, they would be doing it in walk-off style. <span>Brad Ziegler</span> came in for the ninth, and did his job, sending the Giants back to the dugout 1-2-3. Bloomquist continued to confound his critics (that would be me in the preview!), getting his third hit from the lead-off spot to open our half of the ninth, and was bunted over by Eaton (who almost legged out a hit), This lead to the inevitable intentional walk for Goldschmidt, but Chavez jumped on the first pitch and laced a line-drive to the gap in right center, through a despondent Giants outfield, who made little effort to retrieve it.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1782079/20130831_Giants_Diamondbacks_0_20130831232514_live.png"></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2013-08-31&team=Diamondbacks&dh=0&season=2013"><img alt="20130831_giants_diamondbacks_0_20130831232514_live_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/imported_assets/1782079/20130831_Giants_Diamondbacks_0_20130831232514_live_medium.png"></a><br>[<i>Click to enlarge, at fangraphs.com</i>]<br><b>Luis Gonzalez: Brad Ziegler, +14.5%</b><br>The 2001 D-backs: Chavez, +12.8%; Prado, +12.2%; de la Rosa, +11.1%<br><i><b>The 2004 D-backs: Adam Eaton. -5.8%</b></i></p>
<p>A pretty lightly-trafficked Gameday Thread, with about 200 comments in total. I actually had most, followed by asteroid and Fangdango, with others present being: BrokeNBattleX, CaptainCanuck, Dbacks4eva10101, Diamondhacks, FatBoysEatMeat, GuruB, Jim McLennan, RobbieFVK, The so-called Beautiful, azshadowwalker, blank_38, cheese1213, cole8865, ford.williams.10, hotclaws, imstillhungry95, onedotfive, porty99 and xmet. Comment of the Night?FatBoysEatMeat continues an impressive run of punditry, with another comment which would prove to be inaccurate before the night was out.</p>
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<span class="collapse_toggle collapse_toggle_button"></span> why is Gibson letting Chavy bat 4</h2>
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<p>Hes not 30 Gibby<br> He hasnt hit since DL stint</p>
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<div class="meta">by <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/users/FatBoysEatMeat" class="poster" target="_blank">FatBoysEatMeat</a> on <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2013/8/31/4681112/gameday-thread-134-8-31-vs-giants#181665735" class="date">Aug 31, 2013 | 6:40 PM</a> <span class="user_actions"> <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2013/8/31/4681112/gameday-thread-134-8-31-vs-giants#" class="reply_link" title="reply to this comment">reply</a> <span class="cactions mod "> <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2013/8/31/4681112/gameday-thread-134-8-31-vs-giants#" class="rec_link "> rec <span class="rec_count"> </span> </a> <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2013/8/31/4681112/gameday-thread-134-8-31-vs-giants#" class="flag_link "> flag </a> <span class="mod_actions"> <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2013/8/31/4681112/gameday-thread-134-8-31-vs-giants#" class="actions_toggle">actions</a></span></span></span>
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<p>Yeah. About that.... It's back to Chase tomorrow afternoon, and the Diamondbacks have to be fancying their changes, with <span>Patrick Corbin</span> on the mound and facing a pitcher best described as a D-backs reject, in Yusmeiro Petit. First pitch is a little after 1pm, so we'll see you for that.</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2013/9/1/4681714/diamondbacks-giants-walk-off-trevor-cahill-eric-chavezJim McLennan2013-08-31T23:44:21-04:002013-08-31T23:44:21-04:00Diamondbacks 4, Giants 3
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<figcaption>Ralph Freso</figcaption>
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<p>Of course, it had to be this way. On Alumni Night, the D-backs manufactured another walkoff win. </p> <p><span>Trevor Cahill</span> wobbled out of trouble in the first, leaving the bases loaded, and then settled down nicely for the next five innings. However, the offense struggled early on against <span>Ryan Vogelsong</span>, and so this game remained scoreless until the fourth, when RBI singles by <span>Miguel Montero</span> and <span>Willie Bloomquist</span>, sandwiching a <span>Gerardo Parra</span> sacrifice fly, gave the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> a 3-0 lead.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Cahill seemed to run out of gas entirely in the seventh. After a lead-off home-run, he allowed a walk and and an RBI triple, to put the tying run at third with one out. Eury de la Rosa came on in relief and got the second out with a K, but <span>Josh Collmenter</span> couldn't hold the lead, allowing a single to tie the game and cost Cahill the W. He went 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on nine hits and three walks, with three strikeouts.</p>
<p>Neither side threatened much, but in the bottom of the ninth, Bloomquist singled and was bunted over by Adam Eaton. The inevitable intentional walk to Paul Goldsschmidt followed, but <span>Eric Chavez</span> made the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> pay, sending Bloomquist home with a hit into the left-center gap. <span>Martin Prado</span> finished the night with three hits, as did Bloomquist, and <span>Brad Ziegler</span> vultured his eighth win of the year.</p>
<p>Full recap will follow, as soon as I find whoever's writing it. :) It's back to Chase tomorrow afternoon, for the series finale, with <span>Patrick Corbin</span> taking on a name from the D-backs past, in <span>Yusmeiro Petit</span>.</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2013/8/31/4681620/diamondbacks-giants-recapJim McLennan2013-08-31T19:00:07-04:002013-08-31T19:00:07-04:00Preview: Back to the future
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<figcaption>Brian Garfinkel</figcaption>
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<p>It's Alumni Night at Chase Field, with a lot of former players in attendance, and a bonus three-inning softball game afterward, if you stick around. </p> <p>
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<br><span>Ryan Vogelsong</span><br>RHP, 3-4, 5.58</h5>
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<br><span>Trevor Cahill</span><br>RHP, 5-10, 4.39<br>
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<span><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a></span> line-up</h4>
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<span>Willie Bloomquist</span>, SS </li>
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<span>Adam Eaton</span>, CF</li>
<li> <span>Paul Goldschmidt</span>, 1B</li>
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<span>Eric Chavez</span>, 3B</li>
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<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/1001/martin-prado">Martin Prado</a>,LF</li>
<li> <span>Aaron Hill</span>, 2B</li>
<li> <span>Miguel Montero</span>, C</li>
<li> <span>Gerardo Parra</span>, RF</li>
<li>Trevor Cahill, P</li>
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<p>Well, good job we've got Bloomquist on the team to hit leadoff, since it's a tough left-handed pitcher in there for the Giants tonight. Yes: this is sarcasm. Vogelsong is right-handed, but instead of the left-handed Gregorius or switch-hitting Pennington (career OPS 100 points better against RHP), we have Bloomquist there. Who is also the worst defender of the trio. Look I know it's <strike>Old Fogey</strike> Alumni Night, Kirk, but that doesn't mean you need to <u>play</u> all the old guys. We're just missing Wil Nieves, getting a spot-start in place of Montero, and we'd have every position player on the team who is 32 or older.</p>
<p>Frankly. Miggy might deserve a benching after that horrible at-bat with the bases loaded and one out last night - he was fanned on three swinging strikes, without even making contact with the ball. That was the kind of swing you see in Game 162, from a player worn-down to the nub by a long season: which would be okay, if Montero wasn't on course for his <i>lowest</i> number of PAs since 2010, probably ending up about a hundred down on last season. Hard to pick on him alone though, considering the shutout was a thoroughly collective effort. Hope the offense shows up in more meaningful fashion this evening.</p>
<p>And which Cahill will we get? It's time to play "Wheel Of Trevor", with about a one in four chance of being unhittable, a one in four chance of being totally awful, and the balance is thoroughly moderate. Seriously: if you look at starts by Game Score, he has four of 68 or better; four of 30 or worse, and the other eleven are all in a fairly narrow range, between 40-58, with a clear ten-point gap on either side. His last start was one of the upper-end appearances, allowing one run over seven innings in Cincinnati. However, his last game was four innings of scoreless relief, in the marathon last Saturday night. I suspect recapper Marc is hoping there will be no repeat this evening...</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2013/8/31/4680840/diamondbacks-giants-previewJim McLennan