AZ Snake Pit - Game #44: Diamondbacks 0, Dodgers 7An unofficial Arizona Diamondbacks community and bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47033/azsnakepit_f.png2014-05-17T01:46:32-04:00http://www.azsnakepit.com/rss/stream/54893332014-05-17T01:46:32-04:002014-05-17T01:46:32-04:00Diamondbacks 0, Dodgers 7: Heartbreak Hotel
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UGWClSHY8Bn4SyzMjJ_zddMfUqo=/0x133:4000x2800/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/33151047/491578049.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Christian Petersen</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It was Elvis Night at Chase Field. Much like the King himself, the night ended up with this game lying, bloated and dead, next to the crapper. </p> <p><b>Record: 16-28, Pace: 59-103. Change on 2013/2010/2004: -9/-4/-1</b></p>
<p>There's a certain point where this goes beyond mere defeat. It almost seems to have a psychological component, which dooms the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a>, almost before they take the field against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a>. The only time it seemed like this might be a genuine contest tonight, was in the second inning, after <span>Aaron Hill</span> singled and <span>A.J. Pollock</span> walked, to put men on first and second with no outs. <span>Chris Owings</span> tried to bunt, but only succeeded in popping up to third, and <span>Ender Inciarte</span> hit into an inning-ending double-play. I could virtually hear the hissing sound of our hope deflating through <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/british-open">the open</a> roof at Chase Field.</p>
<p>And so it proved. Until the Dodgers made a charitable contribution of bringing <span>Brian Wilson</span> in to pitch the ninth inning, we managed only one further at-bat with a runner in scoring position, and didn't do anything there either. We had three more AB with RISP in that ninth, but didn't manage to get anything done either. Things looked hopeful after <span>Miguel Montero</span> legged out an infield single to put men on the corners with one out, but the Dodgers challenged the play, and the call we overturned, Miggy being ruled out. There should be some mercy stipulation, about not being allowed to challenge plays when you are up by seven runs, and it's the ninth inning.</p>
<p>Before that, we had to get through eight innings of Zack Grienke, and that went about as well as the last five times we've tried. Actually, it went a good deal worse, as we were held to five hits, all singles, and there were a lot of ugly at-bats. <span>Paul Goldschmidt</span> and Miguel Montero, our #3/#4 hitters, combined to go 0-for-7 with five strikeouts on the night. Owings also struggled, going 0-for-3 and making his seventh error of the year. He is now hitting .167 (7-for-42) with one walk this month. Inciarte wasn't any better, and has just three hits in 27 at-base since being called up. Time for someone - anyone! - else, preferably <span>Nick Evans</span>.</p>
<p><span>Wade Miley</span> didn't look to have his best stuff either, right from the first inning, when he issued a pair of two-out walks before getting <span>Matt Kemp</span> to fly out. When a one-out homer to THAT Dodger gave them the lead in the third, I must confess to feeling less surprise or disappointment than a feeling that the inevitable had started to happen. And so it proved, with Los Angeles adding another pair of runs in the fourth inning, on an RBI single by their #8 hitter, and an RBI double by Greinke. That made the score 3-0, and I don't know about you, but I didn't feel there was much hope of us scoring four runs tonight.</p>
<p>Turns out, we'd have needed a good deal more anyway. Miley did get through six innings, on seven hits and three walks, with three strikeouts, but the Dodgers added another run in the sixth, to knock Wade off the possibility of even a fringe quality start. Any hopes of a comeback were well and truly dashed by <span>Randall Delgado</span> in the seventh inning, who allowed the first three batters he faced to reach, and uncorked a couple of wild pitches helping two to cross home-plate there, plus another in the eighth. He has now allowed nine earned runs in fifteen innings since moving to the bullpen, so it clearly hasn't improved him much.</p>
<p align="center"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2014-05-16&team=Diamondbacks&dh=0&season=2014"><img alt="20140516_dodgers_diamondbacks_0_2014051704103_live_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/imported_assets/2201651/20140516_Dodgers_Diamondbacks_0_2014051704103_live_medium.png"></a><br>[<i>Click to enlarge, at Fangraphs.com</i>]<br><b>Hound Dog: A.J. Pollock, +5.4%<br><i>Return to Sender: Wade Miley, -16.5%</i></b><br><i>In the Ghetto: Ender Inciarte, -10.7%</i></p>
<p>A very quiet Gameday Thread, which is probably only to be expected. Going how the first eight games in this series had gone, I wouldn't have bothered paying attention to this one, if I didn't have to recap it. And you'd have been right to do so. Rockkstarr12 led the way, with JoeCB1991 and Fangdango the only others to pass twenty. Also taking part: Clefo, DeadmanG, Diamondhacks, GuruB, Jim McLennan, Makakilo, MrMrrbi, PR151, TolkienBard, asteroid, hotclaws, preston.salisbury, shoewizard and txzona. Most rec'd comment went to Clefo:</p>
<p><span class="user_actions"><span class="cactions mod "><span class="mod_actions"> </span> </span> </span></p>
<div class="citem cdepth-1 moderator active" id="234697397">
<div class="comment">
<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Clefo" target="_blank" class="avatar"> <img src="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/profile_images/1642455/Norman_small.jpg" alt="Clefo"> </a>
<h2 class="title collapse_toggle ">
<span class="collapse_toggle collapse_toggle_button"></span> Elvis has left the building</h2>
<div class="cbody"></div>
<div class="sig">
<p>weltanschauung</p>
</div>
<div class="meta">by <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Clefo" class="poster" target="_blank">Clefo</a> on <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2014/5/16/5725378/gameday-thread-44-5-16-vs-dodgers#234697397" class="date">May 16, 2014 | 9:35 PM</a> <span class="user_actions"> <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2014/5/16/5725378/gameday-thread-44-5-16-vs-dodgers#" class="reply_link" title="reply to this comment">reply</a> <span class="cactions mod "> <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2014/5/16/5725378/gameday-thread-44-5-16-vs-dodgers#" class="rec_link "> rec <span class="rec_count"> (2) </span> </a> <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2014/5/16/5725378/gameday-thread-44-5-16-vs-dodgers#" class="flag_link "> flag </a> <span class="mod_actions"> <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2014/5/16/5725378/gameday-thread-44-5-16-vs-dodgers#" class="actions_toggle">actions</a></span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>We'll be at it again tomorrow, with <span>Chase Anderson</span> making his second major-league start, and going up against the reigning Cy Young award winner, Clayton Kershaw. What could possibly go wrong there? Hey, I guess stranger things have happened in baseball though, so who knows, eh?</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2014/5/17/5725780/diamondbacks-elvis-night-dodgers-zack-greinkeJim McLennan2014-05-17T00:36:55-04:002014-05-17T00:36:55-04:00Diamondbacks 0, Dodgers 7
<figure>
<img alt="Yep, that's just about sums this one up. " src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XE7cEB-kTj6NRaTRdDQmzUpZyfc=/0x66:4000x2733/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/33149887/491602367.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Yep, that's just about sums this one up. | Christian Petersen</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Zack Greinke dominated the Diamondbacks, and Wade Miley did not dominate the Dodgers. Arizona fell to 1-8 against Los Angeles this year. </p> <p>After the teams traded zeroes for the first two innings, a solo home-run put the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> on top in the third. When they then scored two more in the fourth, it felt like the game was over, given how little offense the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> were able to muster against Zach Greinke. <span>Wade Miley</span> struggled through six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits, including two homers, and three walks, with a trio of strikeouts. <span>Randall Delgado</span> worked two ineffective innings of mop-up, being tagged for three runs on three hits and two walks, and his season ERA rose to 6.65. <span>Oliver Perez</span> worked a scoreless ninth.</p>
<p>There was pathetically little offense to speak of, Grienke. <span>A.J. Pollock</span> reached base twice, on a hit and a walk, and we mustered only five hits, all of them singles. Didn't help that we also hit into a trio of double plays. The Diamondbacks had only three at-bats with a man in scoring position before Brian Wilson showed up; naturally, we went 0-for-3, and didn't get a man past second base. We'll be hoping - likely without much real conviction - for better tomorrow night, when <span>Clayton Kershaw</span> takes on <span>Chase Anderson</span>.</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2014/5/17/5725708/diamondbacks-dodgers-scoreJim McLennan2014-05-16T20:30:09-04:002014-05-16T20:30:09-04:00Preview: Hail to the King
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Vw0VHi2Ka5bPzV3v2LTNfKRWI3Q=/1552x847:3918x2424/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/33143069/20120711_mjr_su5_042.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It's Elvis Night at Chase Field. But which Elvis will the Diamondbacks be? Lean, mean, hip-swiveling Elvis? Or fat, bloated, dead on the toilet Elvis?</p> <p>
<style type="text/css">
table.oldschool {
border-width: 1px;
border-spacing: 2px;
border-style: outset;
border-color: gray;
border-collapse: separate;
background-color: white;
}
table.oldschool th {
border-width: 1px;
padding: 3px;
border-style: inset;
border-color: gray;
background-color: white;
-moz-border-radius: ;
}
table.oldschool td {
border-width: 1px;
padding: 3px;
border-style: inset;
border-color: gray;
background-color: white;
-moz-border-radius: ;
}
table.newschool {
border-width: 0px;
border-spacing: 2px;
border-style: outset;
border-color: gray;
border-collapse: separate;
background-color: white;
}
table.newschool th {
border-width: 0px;
padding: 3px;
border-style: inset;
border-color: gray;
background-color: white;
-moz-border-radius: ;
}
table.newschool td {
border-width: 0px;
padding: 3px;
border-style: inset;
border-color: gray;
background-color: white;
-moz-border-radius: ;
}
</style>
</p>
<table class="oldschool">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table class="newschool">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="middle"><img src="http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/assets/2587041/lad.png" alt="lad_medium"></td>
<td valign="middle">
<h5>
<br><span>Zack Greinke</span><br>RHP, 6-1, 2.38<br>
</h5>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
<td>
<table class="newschool">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="middle"><img src="http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/2572695/ari.png" alt="ari_medium"></td>
<td valign="middle">
<h5>
<br><span>Wade Miley</span><br>LHP, 3-3, 4.82<br>
</h5>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h4>
<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> Lineup</h4>
<ol>
<li> <span>Gerardo Parra</span> - RF </li>
<li> <span>Martin Prado</span> - 3B <br> </li>
<li> <span>Paul Goldschmidt</span> - 1B</li>
<li> <span>Miguel Montero</span> - C</li>
<li> <span>Aaron Hill</span> - 2B</li>
<li> <span>A.J. Pollock</span> - CF</li>
<li> <span>Chris Owings</span> - SS </li>
<li> <span>Ender Inciarte</span> - LF</li>
<li>Wade Miley - P</li>
</ol>
<p>Our dreadful 1-7 record against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> has largely defined the Diamondbacks' season to date. Against everyone else, we are 15-20, mediocre but not awful. Against everyone else, the Dodgers are 15-19, mediocre but not good. In other words, the gap between the two teams in the standings, is almost completely attributable to the gap in their head-to-head record. Arizona need to begin chipping away at that; not even so much to get back into playoff contention (I've pretty much written that possibility off, realistically), as purely for their own self-esteem. I'm pretty sure the season worst intra-division record was our 3-16 in 2004, also against LA. Be nice not to match that.</p>
<p>We'll have to go through Greinke tonight, and that isn't going to be easy. We haven't beaten him in the last five attempts, Greinke being 3-0 with a 1.72 ERA in that time. However, we did beat the Dodgers, if not him personally, the last time we met, and it was Wade Miley who faced him in that contest too. Each starter allowed one run over six innings, the teams traded runs in the ninth (Addison Reed's <i>other</i> blown save of the year), before we scored a pair in the twelfth inning, and <span>Trevor Cahill</span> picked up his first career save. I'd settle for that again tonight: but, really, it's a case of "get the win, by any means necessary."</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2014/5/16/5725174/diamondbacks-dodgers-previewJim McLennan