D-backs 3, Rockies 9 – Bullpen blows it again

The revolving bullpen door continues, with everything they throw in there being spit back up, beaten and bloodied.

In their search for some type of spark in the rotation, the D-backs have used 14 different starters across their 89 games this season. Some of that was by necessity, with 3 expected mainstays needing IL time at some point or another. Their replacements have been awful to say the least, with each of the spot starters carrying ERAs above 5 on the year. Jake Faria is the latest to take a stab at the rotation and has been up to par with other options, albeit short outings that tax the bullpen. In his previous two starts, he’s allowed 5 runs across 8 innings with 2 walks and 6 strikeouts to earn him another chance against the Rockies in the matinee outing before taking a trip to LA before the All-Star break gives this team a much-needed break.

The final score might confuse you, but Faria was actually pretty decent in this one, allowing 2 runs across 5 innings before being pinch-hit in the bottom of the 5th. The damage done by a 2-out double from Dom Nunez in the 2nd that scored McMahon and another 2-out rally in the 4th when Yonathan Daza walked, with Nunez and Chi Chi Gonzalez following with singles to give the Rockies a 2-0 lead in the 4th. Faria was actually perfect in the 5th, but with the team looking to generate offense, Andrew Young doubled in his place, leading to a big inning (by D-backs standards).

After scoring a run in the 4th when Stuart Fairchild grounded into a double play to ruin a first and third opportunity with nobody out, the Young double brought up VanMeter to try to tie the game, he did that and more.

3-2 Diamondbacks.

Unfortunately for Faria and the team, the leaky bullpen and questionable coaching coughed it up immediately. After a C.J Cron hit-by-pitch and grounder to advance him to 2nd with 2 outs, Lovullo intentionally walked a .159 hitter in Dom Nunez to bring up the pitcher, which let the Rockies bring up Blackmon, who singled to score the tying run, and a wild pitch scored the walked batter in Nunez to give the Rockies a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Funny how that works.

The offense could only muster a single and a couple of walks the rest of the way as the Rockies teed off on the bullpen, reaching base 6 straight times in the 7th to push 4 runs across. Tapia doubled to lead off, Story followed with an RBI double, Brendan Rodgers and McMahon singled to score one, and after another Cron HBP, Daza doubled to push two runs across and push the lead to 8-3. Nunez doubled in the 9th and Joshua Fuentes singled to give us our final score in the 9th, 9-3 Rockies.

Josh Reddick actually led the team in WPA with a +.192 on the day, reaching base 3 times but was let down by the 0-11 behind him.

Appreciate all 13 of you who stopped by the thread for this one, tough afternoon game. Let’s hope they play better tomorrow.