Record 8-12. Change on 2025: -1.5. 5-inning record: 4-14-2.
Another day, another spring-worst margin of defeat. After losing by ten runs yesterday, the D-backs went one better (or worse?) this afternoon at Salt River Fields. It was an ugly afternoon for the Arizona pitchers, who handed out a dozen free passes to Colorado hitters, thanks to nine walks and three hit batters. The worst culprit was Brandyn Garcia, who threw 26 pitches to five batters in the sixth, without recording an out: one hit, two walks and two plunkings, part of an eight-run inning. But
it had started well. Taylor Clarke and Juan Morillo tossed three hitless innings. John Curtiss also pitched well, with 1.2 scoreless frames. Drey Jameson? Less so: three runs in his 1.2 frames, on two hits and three walks.
The Diamondbacks actually led after the first inning here, before the Rockies got those pesky thirteen unanswered runs. Jordan Lawlar singled, then Tim Tawa got his second home-run of spring, to give Arizona a 2-0 lead before they had a hitter retired. It was all very much downhill from there, however. The D-backs got only four hits and three walks the rest of the way. LuJames Groover accounted for half of the hits with his double and single; Tawa added a walk to his home-run. At least all thirteen runs were earned, I guess? Arizona’s collective ERA in the Cactus League is now 6.22.
We hope for better tomorrow up in Surprise against the Royals. That will see Merrill Kelly return to the mound, as he restarts his build-up: fingers cross that goes well.
