AZ Snake Pit - Game #141, Diamondbacks 2, Giants 1An unofficial Arizona Diamondbacks community and bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47033/azsnakepit_f.png2013-09-08T01:31:38-04:00http://www.azsnakepit.com/rss/stream/44697672013-09-08T01:31:38-04:002013-09-08T01:31:38-04:00Diamondbacks 2, Giants 1, Pitcher's delight
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<figcaption>Stephen Lam</figcaption>
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<p>The offense continues to struggle (still no tacos in September) but Brandon McCarthy was able to buckle down and hold the fort to tie the series. </p> <p>This recap will be done in the form of a series of letters that were quickly procured throughout the course of the game:</p>
<p> </p>
<blockquote>
<p><i>Dear <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a>,</i></p>
<p><i>Last night was extremely brutal to watch. I can't even comprehend how this happened. <span>Yusmeiro Petit</span> must be an alien or something. Did any of you notice any weird particle effects coming off of him when he was pitching? Did he smell radioactive? There isn't really any other explanation. Anyway... looks like <span>Matt Cain</span> is pitching today. That dude was just injured and he's had a rough season so far. Do me a favor and take care of it. *wink*</i></p>
<p><i>Yours truly,</i></p>
<p><i>MF</i></p>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>No immediate response. Game starts and <span>Paul Goldschmidt</span> promptly hits a single. Then he gets caught stealing.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><i>Dear MF,</i></p>
<p><i>Don't be mad at me. I figured that may have been our only hit of the game. I'll do better next time, I promise.</i></p>
<p><i>The chosen one,</i></p>
<p><i>- Goldy</i></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Score is still 0-0 heading into the 3rd inning as Adam Eaton hits a flyball to centerfield. AJ Pollock saw it as the perfect opportunity for the season's 682nd TOOTBLAN. Sure enough, <span>Angel Pagan</span> caught the can of corn and threw a bullet to first base for the first double play of the game.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><i>Dear Marc,</i></p>
<p><i>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">San Francisco Giants</a> organization would like to cordially invite you to... HAHA sorry. I can't write this with a straight face. Suck it, AZ. That was hilarious to watch. Yusmerio Petit eats your dreams for breakfast, btw.<br></i></p>
<p><i>lol,</i></p>
<p><i>SFG</i></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Things didn't get any better in the bottom of the inning. <span>Marco Scutaro</span> hit an RBI single to score <span>Brandon Crawford</span>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><i>Dear Marc,</i></p>
<p><i>I just want someone to talk to. I have played for six different teams in a decade. I just hit an RBI. Why does nobody see the fruits of my talent? Will you be my friend now? Gotta go, looks like I might get traded again.</i></p>
<p><i>- The Scoots</i></p>
</blockquote>
<p>But then something magical happened. <span>Gerardo Parra</span> quickly answered with an RBI single of his own and then Goldschmidt added another run in the 5th inning with his second triple of the year.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><i>Dear Marc,</i></p>
<p><i>ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!?</i></p>
<p><i>- Parra and Goldy</i></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Both teams chugged along as there was apparently some mutual agreement at the beginning of the series that every game would be a pitcher's duel. Ultimately, McCarthy would pitch eight innings allowing just one run and Cain lasted 6.1 and managed to get the necessary double plays when he needed them.</p>
<p>In the 9th inning, Adam Eaton tried to bunt with a runner at third with 2 outs and a 2 strike count. He bunted it foul.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><i>Dear Spanky,</i></p>
<p><i>ಠ_ಠ</i></p>
<p><i>- Everyone</i></p>
</blockquote>
<p><span>Brad Ziegler</span> came in for the save in the quickly retired all three batters for his 8th save of the season (four shy away from a career high).</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2013-09-07&team=Giants&dh=0&season=2013"><img alt="Crap_medium" class="photo" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/3178265/crap_medium.png" height="231" width="511"></a></p>
<p align="center">[<i>Click to enlarge, at fangraphs.com</i>]<br><b><i>Love letters</i>: <span>Brandon McCarthy</span>, +42.2% (pitching), Paul Goldschmidt, 21.2%</b><br><i><b>Hate mail: <span>Wil Nieves</span>, -12.8%</b></i></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The GDT was fairly light for a Saturday evening with only 304 comments among 24 people. soco lead the way with 52 posts, none with eels in them, and hotclaws and Tolkienbird took the other spots for the podium. The entire cast: 4 Corners Fan, Dbacks4eva10101, Diamondhacks, FatBoysEatMeat, GuruB, Husk, Jim McLennan, LouDub, Marc Fournier, MyGirlsDad, RobbieFVK, Rockkstarr12, TolkienBard, cheese1213, cole8865, hotclaws, kishi, porty99, rd33, romangod, shoewizard, and soco.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>COTD goes to soco for his 2014 lineup prediction:</p>
<div class="meta"><span class="user_actions"><span class="cactions "> </span> </span></div>
<div class="citem cdepth-2 recommended moderator" id="182987977">
<blockquote>
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<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/soco" target="_blank" class="avatar"> <img src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/profile_images/1128897/Screen_Shot_2013-08-06_at_9.09.50_PM_small.png" alt="soco"></a>
<h2 class="title collapse_toggle ">Good question</h2>
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<p>Didi Gregorious<br> Chad Pennington<br><span>Willie Bloomquist</span><br><span>Chris Owings</span><br><span>Clint Barmes</span><br><span>Jake Elmore</span><br><span>Khalil Greene</span><br><span>Augie Ojeda</span><br><span>Heath Bell</span>.</p>
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<p>Don't look up.</p>
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<div class="meta">by <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/soco" class="poster" target="_blank">soco</a> on <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2013/9/7/4705882/gameday-thread-141-9-7-vs-giants#182987977" class="date">Sep 7, 2013 | 7:05 PM</a> <span class="user_actions"> <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2013/9/7/4705882/gameday-thread-141-9-7-vs-giants#" class="up_link" title="scroll to parent comment">up</a> <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2013/9/7/4705882/gameday-thread-141-9-7-vs-giants#" class="reply_link" title="reply to this comment">reply</a> <span class="cactions "> <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2013/9/7/4705882/gameday-thread-141-9-7-vs-giants#" class="rec_link recommended"> rec <span class="rec_count"> (6) </span> </a> <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2013/9/7/4705882/gameday-thread-141-9-7-vs-giants#" class="flag_link "> flag </a></span></span>
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<div class="citem cdepth-2 recommended moderator"><br></div>
<p>The D-backs look to take the series win tomorrow when <span>Randall Delgado</span> (4-5, 3.69 ERA) faces off against <span>Ricky Nolasco</span> (12-9, 3.28 ERA). The game starts at 10:10 so set your morning alarm clock for 10:05.</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2013/9/8/4706284/diamondbacks-2-giants-1-goldschmidt-cain-dlSprankton2013-09-08T00:06:18-04:002013-09-08T00:06:18-04:00Diamondbacks 2, Giants 1
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<img alt="Goldy being Goldy" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/gLM84WYQR-xFFEjKhhAFqrhhUVA=/0x818:3543x3180/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/19155035/179995741.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Goldy being Goldy | Stephen Lam</figcaption>
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<p>We live in a world where Yusmeiro Petit is unbeatable and Matt Cain is no longer immortal.</p> <p>Despite going 1-11 with runners in scoring position, grounding into 3 double plays, and trying to bunt with 2 strikes, the D-backs managed to win their 31st one-run game of the season. <span>Brandon McCarthy</span> celebrated his anniversary by pitching 8 innings while holding the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> to one run and just six hits. After the terrible start to the season, McCarthy now has a 4.66 ERA (3.65 FIP) and he is eating the innings that one would expect out of a lanky veteran (17 innings in his last two outings). <span>Matt Cain</span> came back from the DL and looked solid but gave up runs in back-to-back innings in the fourth and fifth and that was all that mattered.</p>
<p><span>Chris Owings</span> had his first career multi-hit game and hopefully his first of many stolen bases. <span>Brad Ziegler</span> came in for the save in the ninth inning and pushed the "easy button" to tie the series at 1-1. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> still have a losing record against the Giants this year (7-11 now) but, y'know, at least we aren't last place in the division. Right?</p>
<p>Full recap coming soon!</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2013/9/8/4706204/diamondbacks-2-giants-1Sprankton2013-09-07T20:00:08-04:002013-09-07T20:00:08-04:00Preview: History of the D-backs one-hitter
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<figcaption>Thearon W. Henderson</figcaption>
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<p>Well, after last night, things can hardly go any worse, can they? I mean, it's not as if we're facing the last guy in the National League to throw a perfect ga.... Er, never mind. Please carry on. </p> <p>
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<h5>
<br><span>Brandon McCarthy</span><br>RHP, 3-9, 4.94</h5>
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<br><span>Matt Cain</span><br>RHP, 8-8, 4.43<br>
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<h4>
<span><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a></span> line-up</h4>
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<li> <span>Adam Eaton</span>, CF</li>
<li>
<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/866/aaron-hill">Aaron Hill</a>, 2B</li>
<li> <span>Paul Goldschmidt</span>, 1B</li>
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<span>Eric Chavez</span>, 3B</li>
<li> <span>Martin Prado</span>, LF<br>
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<li>
<span>Wil Nieves</span>, C</li>
<li>
<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/31904/gerardo-parra">Gerardo Parra</a>, RF</li>
<li> <span>Chris Owings</span>, SS</li>
<li>Brandon McCarthy, P</li>
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<p>Surprised to see that yesterday was actually the tenth time the Diamondbacks have been held to one hit in a game, in addition to the no-hitters by <span>Anibal Sanchez</span> and Jose Jimenez - the former took place seven years to the day before Petit's near-perfecto. [<a target="_blank" href="http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/Be1mj">Here's the full list</a> of no/1-hitters against us] We've had one each season since 2008, and the first was back in 1999, five days after Jimenez (are we the only team to be no-hit before they were one-hit?). <span>Ron Villone</span> took a no-hitter into the sixth, with a <span>Tony Womack</span> single the only hit allowed by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Reds</a>. Of course, none were broken up after the 26th out, though some did see the opposing pitcher go pretty deep.</p>
<p>The previous longest was July 2001: <span>Mark Mulder</span> took a perfecto into the eighth inning at BOB, before Danny Baustista's single. Apart from that game, and Petit's last night, there has only been one other no-walk one-hitter against the Diamondbacks. That was in May 2010, also by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a>, and was thrown by... today's starter for them, Matt Cain. It didn't last as long, however, with <span>Mark Reynolds</span> becoming our only base-runner in the second inning, on a two-out double. SF have one-hit us three times: the first, in April 2009, was particularly painful, as it was largely done to us by <span>Randy Johnson</span>, who took his no-hitter into the seventh, where <span>Augie Ojeda</span> (of all people!) doubled.</p>
<p>The Reds and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> have two apiece, and the latter's game on May 14, 2011 was particularly memorable, because the Diamondbacks still won, as <span>Josh Collmenter</span> and three relievers combined on a four-hit shutout of Los Angeles. We scored our run on the second: <span>Stephen Drew</span> got the only hit with a lead-off double, a botched pick-off advanced him to third, and he came home on a <span>Melvin Mora</span> sacrifice fly. So that's a twofer: both the only one-hitter we won, and also about the only good thing Mora ever did for the team...</p>
<p>The other Cincinnati one, in addition to the Villone game mentioned above, was also interesting. It came in April 2008 and was the major-league debut of Johnnie Cueto. He went seven inning, struck out 10 and it's unique for us, in that the only hit was a <span>Justin Upton</span> home-run [that happens more often than you'd think: since 2005, there have been 14 games where a team's only hit was a bomb]. The Diamondbacks managed to score two runs in that game, pushing another across in the eighth without a knock, on a trio of walks and a sacrifice fly.</p>
<p>So, the bottom line is: last night's game is really no more than a footnote in team history, and will likely be forgotten relatively quickly. Getting the bats back to life - and I note we're now 10 games, and 366 PAs, since we homered versus the Giants! - will quickly wash the unpleasant taste from last night out of our mouths.</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2013/9/7/4705588/diamondbacks-giants-previewJim McLennan