Dbacks manager Torey Lovullo started off his postgame interview stating that this game had a ‘funky rhythm’ to it, and I think that is a great way to summarize it.
Eduardo Rodriguez who went 8 scoreless in his last outing, got jumped in this outing. The Padres came out of the gates with a lot of hard contact scoring 3 runs in the first inning and 2 more in the second inning and before anyone could get settled in, the Dbacks were already chasing 5 runs. ERod certainly didn’t have his best stuff tonight,
but due to the amount of hard contact he was giving up early in this game, Im sure there are going to be people who are suspecting there was atleast some degree of pitch tipping going on.
The defense behind ERod also let him down multiple times as multiple balls clanked off of Arenado’s mitt at 3rd base, none of them errors, but still not common to see from the perennial gold glove winner. Ketel Marte also missed a critical double play on a bobble that allowed extra runs to score as of the 7 runs scored tonight while ERod was pitching, only 5 of them were earned. Certainly not the crisp defense this team typically relies on to win games. It should be noted however that despite not having his best stuff, ERod was still able to pitch into the 6th inning tonight.
The offense did nothing for 8 of the 9 innings tonight with the exception of the 7th when the Dbacks offense blasted 2 homeruns. Nolan Arenado hit the first, a 2 run shot to get the Dbacks on the board. James McCann hit the second of the inning another 2 run shot, and then all of a sudden its an 8-4 ballgame and the Padres are getting up Mason Miller in the 8th. However the Padres would then tack on another run in the 9th inning to sit Miller back down and solidify the final score of 9-4.
Of particular note in this one, Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll combined to go 0-8 as they continue to slide as they have done the past 6 weeks or so. This team desperately needs them to step up if this team is going to maintain any kind of wild card lead and make a playoff run. Hopefully this is just the calm before the storm.
All in all, this game was a frustrating one tonight as the final score appeared closer than the game really ever felt. The Dbacks will face newly acquired Casey Mize tomorrow night and will send rookie Mitch Bratt to the hill in a huge game in which they need to get back out in front of the Padres and hold them off in this tight wildcard race.
