D’Backs Outlast Rockies, 9-8

In a game in which it looked like the D’Backs were going to walk away with this one early, it turned into one heck of an offensive night for both teams.  With Robbie Ray facing Tyler Anderson, on paper, it looked like both teams were in for a tough night.

The D’Backs charged out of the gate early, putting up five runs in the first inning, highlighted by a Nick Ahmed 3-run shot to Left Field and into the home bullpen.  For the Rockies, they would answer with a home run by Ian Desmond to Right Field, plating two, and cutting the D’Backs lead down to 5-2.

The D’backs would get on the board again n the bottom of the 3rd Inning after AJ Pollock tripled to Center Field, and Chris Owings immediately knocked him in with a single to Left Field.  After a Jake Lamb walk, Nick Ahmed continued his hot play at the plate, singling to Left Field, and plating both Owings and Lamb to give the D’Backs a 7-2 lead.

The Rockies would tie the game up in the top of the 4th Inning after Gerardo Parra hit a 2-run shot to Right Field, scoring Ian Desmond.  And that was followed up later in the inning by Charlie Blackmon’s home run to Center Field, scoring three and tying up the game at 7-7.

Nick Ahmed would come through for the D’Backs again in the bottom of the 5th Inning after his single to Right Field would score Chris Owings, and also allowed Lamb to move to third.  Lamb would then score on a John Ryan Murphy ground out to third, which extended the D’Backs lead to 9-7 heading into the top of the 6th Inning.

The Rockies would pull to within 9-7 in the 7th Inning after Carlos Gonzalez singled to Right Field, scoring Nolan Arenado.  But the D’Backs would shut the door after Hirano pitched an almost flawless 8th Inning, and Brad Boxberger got his first save after coming into the 9th Inning, striking out two, and walking only one.

This win ensures that the D’Backs have won their first series of the season, with the final game coming tomorrow at Chase Field.  Zach Greinke will get his first start of the season for the D’Backs.  The opposing pitcher for the Rockies will be German Marquez.

Side note: The D’Backs have now scored 17 runs in the first two games, all while their biggest hitting threat, Paul Goldschmidt has yet to record a hit.  However, he has still managed to get on base with a total of four walks, and one hit-by-pitch.  He’ll come around, and when it does, it’s going to be great to watch!  On Goldschmidt’s mini-slump, D’Backs Manager Torey Lovello said “we look at On Base Percentage as being more important as Batting Average……he’s getting on base.”

By Jeff Demers

Heroes Media Group