Diamondbacks 2, Rockies 3: Irritating

Not exactly the expected slug-fest.

Record: 83-67. Pace: 90-72. Change on 2023: +5.

Going in, this looked like it might turn into a typical Coors Field shoot-out, with a score resembling something you’d see on an eighties arcade. Didn’t quite work out that way, as the day after winning by the odd run in twenty-one, the Diamondbacks ended up on the losing end by the odd run in five. However, the offense really only have themselves to blame: multiple TOOTBLANs, hitting into four double-plays and a key defensive gaffe by Geraldo Perdomo in the ninth, led to a defeat. It wasted a fine outing by Merrill Kelly and also failed to take advantage of a good chance to gain further breathing room ahead of the Atlanta Braves.

Coors Field remains a lovely place to see a baseball game. That’s probably why they have outdrawn the Diamondbacks every season since 2005, despite Arizona being better more often than not (a superior record 11 of the 19 seasons, with one tied). The margin is definitely smaller this season though, partly due to the D-backs’ success, partly because I suspect the joys of losing baseball might be wearing off in Denver. They have one (1) postseason victory since 2009, six consecutive losing seasons, and the worst record in baseball over that time. It will do a number on fan interest. But the Rockies are always a tricky match-up in Coors, because no lead there is ever safe. Teams can score in a hurry.

The D-backs demonstrated that in the top of the first, needing just four pitches to take a 2-0 lead. Corbin Carroll hit a pitch to the gap in left center, and while initially called out at third, the decision was reversed on appeal. That gave Carroll the major-league lead in triples with his fourteenth of the season. It also tied the franchise record for three-baggers, set by Tony Womack, twenty-four years ago. Two pitches later, Ketel Marte followed with his 32nd home-run (below), a blast measured at 460 feet. That’s the third longest by a D-back this season, behind a 464-foot Walker blast and an earlier 461-footer by Marte.

With Antonio Senzatela making his first major-league start since May 2023, due to Tommy John surgery, it felt like the Diamondbacks could put this away early. Didn’t happen. Arizona were certainly squaring up some balls, but they were also running into multiple unnecessary outs on the basepaths. In the third , Carroll was caught stealing second to end the frame, but the most egregious instance came after Christian Walker had singled and Pavin Smith walked, to lead off the frame. That got rid of Colorado’s starter, but Jake McCarthy lined one straight to the shortstop (100.4 mph, xBA .600). Walker was too far off second, stumbled trying to turn back, and was deader than a beached orca.

Even after Senzatela left the game, the D-backs batters acted like they had early dinner reservations in LoDo. Colorado Reliever Anthony Molina needed just twenty pitches to get through the fourth, fifth AND sixth innings, including a fifth which took three pitches. The top of the seventh also saw the first two men get on, but Arizona’s third double-play of the night quickly defused that threat. If the offense weren’t living up to expectations caused by the highest scoring team in the majors hitting at Coors, Merrill Kelly was proving that he had recovered from the cramps which derailed his last outing. He held the Rockies to just two hits over six innings, although one of those did leave the park in the fourth.

He walked two, struck out five and gave the D-backs his best start since coming off the injured list on August 11, leaving with a 2-1 lead. Kelly was only at 83 pitches through those six, and most people in the GDT expected him at least to start the seventh. It was therefore something of a surprise when Kevin Ginkel took over on the mound, and an even less pleasant shock when he allowed a two-out home-run, tying the game at two. But Ginkel has been struggling of late. Tonight was already his 67th appearance, so he might be running out of gas. In September he has faced 26 batters, allowing ten hits including three homers, with eight earned runs allowed across just 4.2 innings.

A.J. Puk and Ryan Thompson kept the game tied through eight, but Arizona’s hitters had to face Colorado’s version of Justin Martinez, Seth Halvorsen consistently hitting three digits with his fastball. While Colorado’s bullpen has been much improved of late – a 3.45 ERA over 47 September innings coming into tonight – you would still hope Arizona would do better than four singles and a walk over six scoreless innings of relief. That futility proved fatal. In the bottom of the ninth, Ryan Thompson allowed a lead-off single, who then stole second. An intentional walk followed, and it looked like a double-play provided an escape route. But Geraldo Perdomo’s through to first was wide, resulting in a walk-off error.

The D-backs actually outhit the Rockies, 8-4, but Marte’s home-run was the first and last hit with a runner in scoring position. That was still one more than the home team managed, winning without an RISP knock. Though this is more like the Diamondbacks losing, all things considered. In his first start since coming off the IL, Gabriel Moreno had a pair of hits, and Smith reached base safely three times, on a hit and two walks. In relevant results elsewhere. the Mets won on a walk-off against the Nationals, but the Braves were soundly beaten by the Dodgers. So that leaves Arizona one game ahead of New York, and two up on Atlanta, with twelve to play.

The Gameday Thread started off brightly, but gradually became antsier, the more it became clear it was going to be one of “those” games for the offense. 216 comments all told, a decent tally for a Monday night, but nothing turned Sedona Red, and that is a fitting monument to the general malaise shown by the position players tonight. Let’s hope for better tomorrow, when Jordan Montgomery makes his triumphant* return to the rotation [* = triumph not contractually obligated]