Yesterday, for the first time in the post-season, an MLB game went to extra innings. The D-backs were defending a 5-3 lead that they had held since the fifth inning, and they sent out their closer, Paul Sewald, to end the game. He couldn't do it. He walked Leody Taveras (the number-9 hitter) to lead off the game. And then, after striking out Marcus Semien, he allowed Corey Seager to blast a home run into the right field seats. That tied the game at 5, and sent everyone into extra innings (without ghost runners). In the bottom of the 11th, the D-backs sent out Miguel Castro (6-6, 4.31 ERA in 75 appearances) to face the red-hot Adolis Garcia with one out. Garcia slammed his own home run to right field, and the Rangers had a thrilling 6-5 victory.
Tonight the D-backs are starting Merrill Kelly (12-8, 3.29 ERA), while the Rangers are going with Jordan Montgomery (10-11, 3.20 ERA). Montgomery is 3-0 with an ERA of 2.10 in the playoffs, while Kelly has been almost as good -- 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA. Kelly has thrown 17 innings so far in the playoffs, while Montgomery has thrown 25 2/3 innings. Assuming Montgomery is at full strength, we should get a well-pitched game.
No runs and no hits in the first for either team.
ReplyDeleteIn the top of the 2d, the D-backs get a single from Tommy Pham but do nothing with it. Still no score after 1 1/2.
ReplyDeleteStill no score after 2.
ReplyDeleteBoth teams wearing as traditional a gear as they have. Rangers are in white shirts and pants, with "Rangers" in script on the jersey, and blue caps with the T logo in white. D-backs in gray shirts and pants, with "ARIZONA" in black outlined in dark red on the jersey, and dark red hats with the D-back A.
ReplyDeleteIn the top of the third, Alek Thomas leads off with a single. Evan Longoria bunts him to second, and he advances to third on a ground out by Geraldo Perdomo. But it's all for nought, as Ketel Marte flies out to center field to end the inning. Still no score after 2 1/2.
ReplyDeleteThe Rangers go down 1-2-3. Kelly has retired the first nine rangers. Still no score after 3.
ReplyDeleteIn the top of the 4th, Gabriel Moreno smashes a home run to center to put the D-backs up 1-0.
ReplyDeleteAnd then Tommy Pham doubles, and Gurriel singles him home. After 3 1/2, the D-backs lead 2-0.
ReplyDeleteWith two out in the bottom of the 4th, Evan Carter -- the 21-year-old wunderkind from Elizabethton, Tennessee, bloops a single into center and becomes the first Ranger to reach base.
ReplyDeleteBut Garcia flies to right and the side is retired. D-backs lead 2-0 after 4.
ReplyDeleteD-backs now have a 74.5 percent chance of victory.
ReplyDeleteIn the top of the 5th, Perdomo singles and steals second, but it all comes to nothing. The D-backs still lead 2-0 after 4 1/2.
ReplyDeleteIn the bottom of the 5th, Mitch Garver lofts a fly that clears the left field wall. D-backs now lead 2-1.
ReplyDeleteKelly escapes with no further danger, and the D-backs lead 2-1 after 5.
ReplyDeleteD-backs now have a 64.5 percent chance of victory.
ReplyDeleteWith two outs in the top of the sixth, Tommy Pham lashes his third hit of the night -- a double down the right field line. This time Montgomery intentionally walks Gurriel, who singled in Pham back in the 4th. It's up to Thomas. But wait! Montgomery picks off Pham at second base! What a terrible mistake by Pham! The inning is over, ad the D-backs lead 2-1 after 5 1/2.
ReplyDeleteIn the bottom of the 6th, Kelly strikes out the side. He's been tremendous tonight. D-backs lead 2-1 after 6. They have a 68.6 percent chance of victory.
ReplyDeleteThomas leads off the top of the 7th with a ringing double. That would have scored two runs if he had hit it in the top of the 6th.
ReplyDeleteLongoria singles home Thomas to put the D-backs up 3-1, and that will be all for Montgomery. He pitched well, but not as well as Kelly.
ReplyDeleteThe Rangers turn to Andrew Heaney (10-6, 4.15 ERA in 34 appearances and 28 starts). Both teams' bullpens are wiped out after last night.
ReplyDeleteHeaney retires two batters, but cannot retire Corbin Carroll. He singles to left, and Longoria (who had advanced to second) scores to put the D-backs up 4-1.
ReplyDeleteSo that's all for Heaney, and the Rangers turn to Dane Dunning (12-7, 3.70 ERA in 26 starts and 35 appearances). Bochy recognizes that this game is probably lost, and is not going to waste any good relievers here. This strategy, by the way, is why so many games in the post-season have turned into blowouts.
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't mean it's the wrong strategy -- in fact, it's absolutely correct. The Nats got absolutely annihilated in all three home games in 2019 World Series. But they saved their good pitchers and came back to win Games Six and Seven.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, it leads to a lot of blowouts, as we've seen in these playoffs.
DeleteDunning closes the door, and the D-back lead 4-1 after 6 1/2.
ReplyDeleteKelly mows down the Rangers 1-2-3 in the 7th. This is dominant, old school starting pitching. D-backs lead 4-1 after 7. They have a 92.5 percent chance of victory.
ReplyDeleteIn the 8th inning, Bochy and the Rangers wave the white flag. They send out Martin Perez (10-4, 4.45 ERA in 20 starts and 35 appearances) and he quickly concedes three more runs. D-backs lead 7-1 after 7 1/2.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, the Washington Huskies are just barely hanging on to the Unofficial College Football Championship. They lead 35-33 at Stanford with 2:44 left in the game.
ReplyDeleteWashington scores a touchdown to go up 42-33 with 1:36 left. That should hold the UCFC for another week.
ReplyDeleteBack to the baseball, this is a huge win for the D-backs. They are the first team to beat Montgomery in the playoffs, and they get to go home with a split from the first two games.
ReplyDeleteThis whole "Month of MLB" notion has been a total winner.
ReplyDelete