D-backs 5, Brewers 2: Good to be back

Hello, Chase Field! Been a while..

Record: 9-7. Pace: 91-71. Change on 2024: +1.

It was a grind, but the traditional D-backs blueprint of falling behind in the first, late-inning offense and a shutdown bullpen was followed. Arizona scored in each or their final four trips to the plate, to overturn an early 2-0 deficit and take the series from Milwaukee. Those last five words are ones I did not expect to be writing with two outs to go last night. So what looked like potentially a deflating series ended up being another victory. Although he did not get the win, Zac Gallen overcame a rough beginning to deliver a quality start, and looked better the longer he pitched. Hopefully, it’s something he can build on going forward, when he faces the Cubs again in his next start.

As noted in the GDT, I think this was our first trip to Chase Field for a D-backs game since 2022. Ben was in town from Milwaukee for a conference, so Mrs. SnakePit and I met up with him, as well as Ish95 and Mrs. Ish95 at the park. Great to put a face to the posts by Ben – although we will be discussing his approval of the wave, when it comes time for his annual performance review. 🙂 Ish95 did some significant “research” during today’s game, and we can expect some Fang Food articles to follow. However, Mrs. SnakePit was disappointed by the lack of pitchers on stilts in today’s contest, and still feels MLB has a lot to learn from the Savannah Bananas…

It was a Zac Gallen start, and it did not start well. He allowed a lead-off single and two fly balls later, a laser of a home-run just over the fence in left-field by William Contreras for a two-run shot. The launch angle on that was only eighteen degrees. That’s tied for the lowest figure on a home-run this year: an exit velocity of 108.4 mph helped. These were the 16th and 17th runs allowed in the first inning by the D-backs, across 16 games; they have scored only seven times there. So, as has happened quite often, the D-backs found themselves playing catch-up, and the early signs were not promising, the offense not carrying forward the authoritative at-bats from the ninth last night.

First time through the other, the only hit was a Pavin Smith bloop, which the Milwaukee fielder’s despairing dive turned into a double. The only other base-runner was Alek Thomas wearing a pitch with two outs in the second. Even when Arizona were able to get a runner into scoring position, such as Corbin Carroll’s double with one out in the third, the hitters couldn’t do anything of significance. The score remained 2-0 until the middle of the fifth, so Mrs. SnakePit and I went foraging, the 200 levels having a disappointing lack of food options. We should have aaked Ish96 where all the good stuff was hidden. But our return with mediocre chicken tenders, and cold, not very garlicky garlic fries turned the tide!

Tim Tawa doubled to left to lead off the bottom of the fifth, and was bunted to third by Jose Herrera. Although Carroll was unable to get the D-backs on the board, the D-backs were gifted their first run on a wild pitch by Freddy Peralta, making the score 2-1. Someone said in a comment that they feel the team always has a chance, if the starting pitching can keep it close, because of the strong bullpen and an offense which can score runs. Such was the case here, with Gallen going six innings without further damage. He scattered five hits and three walks, striking out five, and the sixth was his only clean inning. But he got the outs when he needed to, Milwaukee not getting a hit with RISP off Zac.

Another bloop hit, this one a single by Josh Naylor, opened the bottom of the sixth. Walks to Lourdes Gurriel and Jake McCarthy set the table for a Tawa sacrifice fly, and Arizona had tied the game. Similarly small ball then let the D-backs take the lead in the seventh. Carroll singled, took second on a balk, and was bunted to third by Geraldo Perdomo. Josh Naylor came through with an RBI single, and Arizona took a 3-2 advantage. They then added two big insurance runs in the eighth on a Thomas single (above), pushing the score to 5-2. This had followed on frim Carroll’s first stolen base of the season – though Naylor had previously swiped one, so still leads 4-1 in that category.

Meanwhile, Jalen Beeks and Justin Martinez had continued the string of zeroes. Beeks allowed a squibby infield hit, but Martinez was perfect, with two strikeouts in the eighth. A.J. Puk was the designated closer for the day, and did provoke some nervous moments – I was beginning to regret my decision to tempt the baseball gods by writing the quick recap. For he allowed a hit by pitch and walk around a strikeout, which meant the tying run for the Brewers came to the plate with one out in the ninth. But Puk buckled down, getting back-to-back K’s for his third save, the inning completing without any of the five batters he faced putting a ball in play.

215 comments in the Gameday Thread, not bad considering three SnakePitters were at the game, and so not very active in the thread! Comment of the Thread to Worleybird27 – not least because it’s basically exactly what I said to Ben when we realized the team had lost the DH spot!

And so ends a home-stand which saw the team in both series, lose the opener, then squeak out a win in the second game, and take the series with victory in the rubber match. There’s a day off tomorrow, as the team travels back to the East coast for a series in Miami, beginning on Tuesday. I’ve just realized the D-backs do not play anyone in our division until the 38th game of the season, on May 8. Scheduling! Anyway, great to get back to the ballpark today: thanks to Ben, Ish95 and Mrs. Ish95 for joining us. Probably not going to be another two years before we return!