How will the D-backs follow that?
Greetings from Chase Field! It’s the first time we’ve been there in over two years – and the last time wasn’t even for a Diamondbacks’ game, since it was the WBC game between Team GB and Colombia. So it’s a hot minute. We’ll be with ish95 and Ben, so I hope there’s no tragic accident involving a meteor, or the SnakePit will be seriously below strength as far as writers go. [Memo to self: create new rule about no more than two (2) SnakePit writers being allowed to be in the same place at the same time, like those people who know the recipe for Coca-Cola] I was going to make the thread photo a “live” sausage pic, but couldn’t really do better than Baxter dressed as a hot-dog…
After 17 innings of feeble offense, the D-backs suddenly exploded in the ninth inning, in truly stunning fashion. It will be interesting to see if that momentum carries forward into today’s rubber game. It will also be interesting to see which Zac Gallen shows up. His 53-point spread between his best and worst Game Score is the highest of anyone in the starting rotation, after three complete turns through it (just beating out Merrill Kelly’s 52 point difference). Zac’s average Game Score is 49, but he has yet to come within ten points of that in any start, on either side. He’s alternated terrible and great, and if that trend continues, I should be in line to see a cracker this afternoon.
Interesting stat from today’s game notes:
This season, there have been 14 hits tracked at a distance of 400+ feet with a 105+ exit velocity that DID NOT result in a home run (was only a double or triple), and the D-backs account for 4 of those instances, the most in MLB (the Rockies are only other team with multiple occurrences with 2). Under those same metrics, there have also been 135 hits that DID result in a home run.
- Corbin Carroll 03/30 vs. CHC 407 ft/105.3 mph 2B
- Ketel Marte 04/04 @ WSH 410/106.6 2B
- Alek Thomas 04/12 vs. MIL 419/106.6 3B
- Corbin Carroll 04/12 vs. MIL 417/111.7 2B
Because I’ll be at the park, a full recap will take me some time to assemble. If the wifi permits (and if the game deserves it!), I’ll endeavor to throw up something quick post-game, to tide discussion over, while I make my way home and cover everything in more detail. But nothing is guaranteed…