Diamondbacks 9, Brewers 10: The one that got away…

Ouch.

Record: 87-69. Pace: 90-72. Change on 2023: +5.

If you’d told me, coming in to this one, that the Diamondbacks would leave Milwaukee with the standings basically unchanged in the wild-card race, I would have taken it. If you had told me that Arizona would take three out of the four games, I would have been delighted. But you will understand why I am not exactly cheering at this moment. Because the D-backs set a new franchise record, blowing an eight-run lead to drop the series finale this afternoon. While they may have won the series, it’s safe to say that, in the event of any re-match between these two teams in the playoffs, the momentum will be firmly in the Brewers dugout, after defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory.

And it had started so well too, Arizona taking the lead with the second batter of the game. Ketel Marte his his 35th home-run of the season, a feat which moves him into a tie for eighth place on the franchise single-season list. Jordan Montgomery worked around a two-out single, caused when he unnecessarily tried to make a play on a comebacker, and both sides then went down in order in the second. Then the top of the third happened, and the Diamondbacks took full advantage of some Brewers; slackness. First, Geraldo Perdomo tripled into the right-field corner, and was able to trot hpme as the throew to third skidded into the dugout. Then the bases were loaded on a single, walk and catcher interference.

Which is where the fun REALLY started. Gabriel Moreno delivered an RBI groundout, though it was booted by the Brewers’ third-baseman, and could perhaps have been an inning ending double-play, with the score still only 2-0. Instead, it was 3-0, and didn’t stay that way for long, with Jake McCarthy singling to right, bringing home two runs. Josh Bell then followed up with a 436-foot shot to center, his ninteenth of the season, which made the score 7-0, Eugenio Suarez went back to back with Bell, getting his 29th of the year, for an 8-0 Arizona lead. By the time we reached the middle of the third, Arizona had sent 12 to the plate, scored seven and seen over 50 pitches, chasing the Brewers’ starter.

It should have, could have and would have been over. But you know what D-backs’ baseball in 2024 is like. Sitting out the lengthy half-inning seemed to have iced Jordan Montgomery, and when he came out again, he appeared notably less effective. Three singles allowed the Brewers to get on the board in the third, and he allowed two more runs in the fourth. That made the score 8-3, as the Brewers gradually began to appears in the rear-view mirror of the D-backs. Montgomery was not able to make it through the fifth, lasting 4.1 innings and allowing three runs on six hits and two walks. Six K’s, but it’s likely no stretch to say he may not have a spot in a post-season rotation.

Potentially of equal concern, however, was the removal of catcher Gabriel Moreno from the game in the fourth inning. The team announced later that Moreno was suffering from “left adductor tightness”. To save you from looking that up, it’s the same issue with which he spent six weeks on the injured list. Maybe it’s just me, but there seem to have been quite a few occasions this year where Arizona players have got hurt, come back and re-aggravated the injury in question, e.g. Ketel Marte. Seems a concerning pattern. With regard to today’s game, what mattered was Jose Herrera taking over, and the Brewers then strealing two bases. Base-runners are now 27-3 against Jose.

None of our relievers were successful in stopping the bleeding. Yilber Diaz didn’t help his own cause with such a wild pick-off throw over Josh Bell, that the first baseman didn’t ever jump for it. Josh Bell is 6’4”. You might as well try and throw the ball over Mount Rushmore. That led to another Brewers run in the sixth, and they scored two more off RyanThompson in the seventh, making it 8-6. Nerves were somewhat calmed as Randal Grichuk delivered a pinch-hit RBI in the top of the eighth. He took advantage of the home-plate umpire blowing what should have been strike three on Marte. Ketel ended up grounding out instead, advancing Christian Walker to second from where he scored on Grichuk’s single.

9-6 up with six outs to get, should not be a problem. But Joe Mantiply and Justin Martinez made it so, a stunning implosion after Mantiply retired the first two batters in the eighth. Perhaps it was a result over work? Mantiply had thrown 25 pitches last night, Martinez three in a row before getting a breather yesterday. It took the pair SEVEN attempts to record the third out, allowing a walk then five consecutive two-out hits. Bad luck certainly played a part, with most of the hits having an expected batting average of .250 or less. But by the time all was said and done, the Brewers had put up a four-spot to lead 10-9, and consequently did not even need to bat in the bottom of the ninth,

This one was really a tale of two bullpens:
Arizona: 3.2 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO
Milwaukee: 6.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 11 SO
All told, the D-backs struck out fifteen times today, tying their season high. But I am loathe to put much blame on the offense today, because nine runs SHOULD be enough to win any ball-game. It was an interesting reverse of the finale in the series against the Brewers at Chase, where it was the D-backs who roared back late to snatch victory. If this is any guide, and these two sides should face off in the post-season, watch out for the last contest. It promises to be quite the doozy…

There are certainly a few possible candidates for Comment of the Thread. I’m tempted even to give it to myself, either for my prescient statement about not having started work on the recap yet, or the double-bill, first announcing how I was enjoying this Jordan Montgomery start, and then later, that I was no longer enjoying this Jordan Montgomery start. But I think it’s best we simply pretend this game did not happen, and so I’m giving it to KJKrug:

There ends the road games for Arizona. With six to play, they have a two game advantage over the Braves, while the Mets face the Phillies tonight in New York, half a game back of the D-backs. Tomorrow, the Giants come to town, and after today, about all I’ve got for you is: we’ll see. Eduardo Rodriguez takes the mound for the Diamondbacks, with a first pitch at 6:40 pm.