AZ Snake Pit - Game #88: Diamondbacks 2, Braves 5An unofficial Arizona Diamondbacks community and bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47033/azsnakepit_f.png2014-07-04T23:04:08-04:00http://www.azsnakepit.com/rss/stream/56357102014-07-04T23:04:08-04:002014-07-04T23:04:08-04:00Diamondbacks 2, Braves 5: No joy on July 4th
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<figcaption>Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Josh Collmenter dug the Diamondbacks into a deficit that was just too hard to escape against a dominant Ervin Santana. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Diamondbacks</a> had another shot at fourth place tonight with a win and a <a href="https://www.purplerow.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Rockies</a> loss. Colorado held up their end of the deal, but the D-backs just don't seem to want to give up that coveted last place title as they lost their 52nd game of the year tonight.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Josh Collmenter</span> had a rough couple of innings to start out the ball game, yet after that he was brilliant. <span>Ervin Santana</span> was just better, going 7 1/3 innings and allowing just two runs on the night.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>B.J. Upton</span> led off the <a href="https://www.talkingchop.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Braves</a> first with a single to left, promptly stole second, and was then moved to third on a sacrifice by <span>Andrelton Simmons</span>. In a flurry of beautiful offense, three-hole hitter -- and known D-backs killer -- <span>Freddie Freeman</span> knocked Upton home with a single of his own to give Atlanta an early lead. <span>Justin Upton</span> then doubled down the left field line, advancing Freeman to third, where he'd eventually be hit home on a ground out from Jason Heyward. Josh Collmenter got <span>Chris Johnson</span> to fly out, but not before the damage was done, and Ervin Santana strode out to the mound in the second with a two-run lead.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Martin Prado</span> led the second off with a single and advanced to third on two straight groundouts. Luckily for the D-backs, with Didi Gregorious at the plate, Santana dialed up a wild pitch that bounced off the chest pad of <span>Gerald Laird</span> and scooted far enough to allow Prado to score from third and reduce the lead by one.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Braves picked up where they left off and started the scoring train again. Before Josh Collmenter knew it, Atlanta had loaded the bases up for Andrelton Simmons who singled to left to bring home the third run of the day. With the help of some awful umpiring, Atlanta added another on a questionable Justin Upton walk. With a 2-2 count, Collmenter threw an excellent changeup in the dirt and induced a half swing from Upton that certainly looked as though the bat crossed the plate, but no dice for Arizona. And on the 3-2 count, Collmenter threw a belt high fastball right in the heart of the plate that was called ball four to score Santana from third. Just like that, the Braves extended their lead to three.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After that barrage of scoring, Collmenter calmed down and settled in to his night. It was a shaky start to start out, giving up seven hits and four runs over the first two, but he cruised through the sixth with four scoreless. Kirk Gibson pulled the D-backs right-hander in the seventh after a Simmons double off the wall in right field. <span>Oliver Perez</span> got the call with the heart of the order due up for Atlanta. Freddie Freeman, similar to so many times before, singled in Simmons for yet another RBI against Arizona. Braves led 5-1 at that point.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ervin Santana really only made one major mistake all night: the wild pitch in the second that scored Prado. From there on out, he dominated the D-backs offense up until the eighth inning when Gregorious and <span>Ender Inciarte</span> both singled off him, provoking a pitching change for the Braves. David Peralta then hit into what should have been a double play, but thanks to a poor throw from Simmons, he was safe at first and Gregorious scored from third. Goldschmidt stepped up and delivered a double to give <span>Miguel Montero</span> an opportunity to bring the D-backs within one or tied with one swing of the bat. But Miggy struck out to end the inning.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/assets/4711914/Screen_Shot_2014-07-04_at_7.38.10_PM.png"><img src="http://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/assets/4711914/Screen_Shot_2014-07-04_at_7.38.10_PM_medium.png" class="photo" alt="Screen_shot_2014-07-04_at_7.38.10_pm_medium"></a> <br id="1404529050111"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There’d be no…..fireworks late in this game. Craig Kimbrell came on in the ninth and closed it out.</p>
<p> </p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="http://www.fangraphs.com/graphframe.aspx?config=0&static=0&type=livewins&num=0&h=450&w=450&date=2014-07-04&team=Braves&dh=0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" height="450" width="450" style="border:1px solid black;"></iframe></div>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It's a 1:10 start tomorrow in Atlanta. Mike Bolsinger faces off against <span>Aaron Harang</span>.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">GDT: Congrats to JoeCB1991.</p>
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https://www.azsnakepit.com/2014/7/4/5872027/diamondbacks-2-braves-5-no-joy-on-4th-of-julyRoss Dunham2014-07-04T22:32:47-04:002014-07-04T22:32:47-04:00Diamondbacks 2, Braves 5
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<figcaption>Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Braves scored four runs in the first two innings, and behind a solid performance from Ervin Santana, they never looked back to win this Independence Day special. </p> <p>Atlanta put on an offensive clinic in the first inning. <span>B.J. Upton</span> singled, stole second, and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt from Andrelton Simmons. Freddie Freeman then stepped up and delivered a single to bring Upton home from third to give the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Braves</a> the early lead. Later in the same inning, after a <span>Justin Upton</span> double, <span>Jason Heyward</span> hit a groundout to the right side of the infield to score Freeman from third. Just how you draw it up if you're a manager.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> added one of their own in the second when <span>Martin Prado</span> scored on a wild pitch from <span>Ervin Santana</span>.</p>
<p>The Braves answered the bell with two more in the second on a Simmons RBI single, and a questionable ball four call for a bases-loaded walk to Justin Upton. They tacked one more on in the seventh on yet another RBI off the bat of Freeman, who absolutely kills the D-backs.</p>
<p>Arizona was able to add a run in the eighth when DiDi Gregorious scored after a throwing error from Simmons on what would've been an inning ending double play. But the ninth came around and that meant Craig Kimbrell time; and the D-backs dropped the first game of the series.</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2014/7/4/5871979/diamondbacks-braves-scoreRoss Dunham2014-07-04T18:30:02-04:002014-07-04T18:30:02-04:00Preview: Collmenter gonna Collmenter
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<figcaption>Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Arizona's road-trip rolls on, into Atlanta to take on a Braves side who have won their last seven games in a row. We turn to Josh Collmenter, who has been our best starter this year. </p> <p>
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<br><span>Josh Collmenter</span><br>RHP, 7-4, 3.74</h5>
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<br><span>Ervin Santana</span><br>RHP, 6-5, 4.05<br>
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<h4>
<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> Lineup</h4>
<ol>
<li> <span>Ender Inciarte</span> - CF</li>
<li> <span>David Peralta</span> - :LF</li>
<li> <span>Paul Goldschmidt</span> - 1B</li>
<li> <span>Miguel Montero</span> - C</li>
<li> <span>Martin Prado</span> - 3B</li>
<li> <span>Gerardo Parra</span> - RF</li>
<li> <span>Nick Ahmed</span> - SS</li>
<li> <span>Didi Gregorius</span> - 2B</li>
<li>Josh Collmenter - P</li>
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<p>Okay, who among you, before the season began, picked Collmenter as being our most effective starting pitcher of the first half? Yet, that's where we sit. Even though he wasn't part of the rotation the first couple of times through, making his first appearance there in game #11, there's a good chance he'll reach the All-Star break with the most wins and best ERA. He's currently tied with <span>Bronson Arroyo</span> in the former category,, and will likely have one more chance after this afternoon to get his eighth win. And Josh's 3.74 ERA is also tops, with <span>Chase Anderson</span> his nearest rival at 3.91. [Though if you just consider starts, Collmenter's ERA goes up to 3.94]</p>
<p>He'll need to be on form to stop an Atlanta team that has been on fire of late, and the hitters will also have to be more like the bunch who showed up in the ninth inning last night, rather than the feeble band of the previous six and eight-ninths games. Over their current seven-game winning streak, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.talkingchop.com/">Braves</a>' pitching staff have posted a 2.14 ERA and not allowed more than four runs in any contest. We all know about <span>Craig Kimbrel</span>, but Antony Varvaro has an ERA which is almost as good, and a K:BB ratio that's actually better than the closer. So if we're going to win, probably best if we don't wait until the eighth and ninth innings to do so.</p>
https://www.azsnakepit.com/2014/7/4/5871617/game-88-diamondbacks-bravesJim McLennan