D-Backs
5, Rangers 3
- Well, the winning streak had to end eventually.
- Its just unfortunately it had to end against someone named Nabil Crismatt.
- Jacob Latz threw five shutout innings in his spot start, which is really good. The problem is that he was asked to also pitch the sixth, and issued two one-out walks — the only two he gave up in the game — before being lifted for Luis Curvelo.
- Curvelo allowed both inherited runners to score, turning a 2-0 Rangers lead into a 2-2 tie game, and ill tidings were in the wind at that point. Or maybe a haboob. I’m not sure.
- I will note that Latz wasn’t exactly overwhelming Arizona up to that point anyway. He generated just five whiffs, struck out only one batter, and allowed a good amount of loud contact. All in all, he was fortunate to have allowed just five hits, and no runs, through the first five innings.
- Hoby Milner quickly brought the ill tidings to fruition in the bottom of the seventh. A pair of hard hit singles to start the inning was followed up by a Ketel Marte home run, and like that, a game that had 20 minutes prior been a 2-0 Rangers lead that had you feeling kinda optimistic became a 5-2 deficit that, well, wasn’t conducive to optimism.
- Milner was exceptional for most of the season for the Rangers, and was sporting a 2.15 ERA and 2.44 FIP in mid-August. In his last seven games, however, he’s allowed eight runs in 4.2 IP, striking out just three batters and allowing a pair of home runs. Not ideal.
- One might ask why Danny Coulombe wasn’t utilized in that situation instead of Milner. Coulombe hasn’t pitched since allowing a pair of homers while recording just one out against the Angels on August 26. Whether he’s not right physically or just has fallen out of the tree of trust, he doesn’t seem to be near the bottom of the bullpen pecking order right now.
- Marte started the bottom of the first with a 119.6 mph double, one of the hardest hit balls in the majors this season. The home run was his fourth against the Rangers this year. One of those was a game-winning solo shot in the top of the ninth against Danny Coulombe in a 3-2 win. Another was that two out, three run shot off of Phil Maton in the 6-4 loss where Maton struck out the first three batters he faced on nine pitches, and then, needing just one more out to seal the victory, gave up a home run to James McCann, who I didn’t realize at the time was still in the league, hit a batter, and walked a batter before giving up the bomb to Marte.
- That game may be the most painful loss of the season for Texas. And there have been a bunch of painful losses this season.
- Ketel Marte is 9 for 22 against Texas this year, slashing .409/.458/1.000. I’m pretty sure that’s the most impressive performance against the Rangers by a player with the same name as a vodka.
- The Rangers offense was kind of motley, really, in this game. The Rangers were fortunate to get 10 hits — Statcast has Texas with a .232 xBA in the game, while Arizona, who also had 10 hits, logged a .352 xBA. As you will see below, there was a paucity of triple digit exit velocities for the Rangers.
- Fortunate though the Rangers may have been to get 10 hits, they were unfortunate in regards to sequencing in the game. Texas was 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position and had three GIDPs.
- When you are missing your half billion dollar outfield and Our Little Savior and the hero of the 2023 playoffs due to injuries, you kind of need to cash in on your opportunities a little better than that.
- Cody Freeman and Alejandro Osuna each got on base twice apiece, at least, as did Michael Helman. And Joc Pederson had two singles.
- Since August 1, Pederson is slashing .286/.337/.571. Since breaking his historic 0-fer, Pederson is slashing .230/.335/.454, which equates to roughly a 125 OPS+. We can probably stop complaining about him for a bit.
- Jacob Latz topped out at 97.9 mph with his fastball, averaging 95.2 mph. Luis Curvelo hit 97.2 mph with his fastball. Hoby Milner’s sinker reached 89.3 mph. Caleb Boushley touched 94.3 mph with his sinker.
- Joc Pederson had a 107.0 mph single and a 106.3 mph single. Wyatt Langford had a 100.8 mph ground out.
- Let’s move on, take the Wednesday afternoon rubber match and head home with a 5-1 road trip.
