Dodgers jump to early lead, sweep D-backs in MLB’s Opening Series: By The Numbers
Mar 23, 2014, 6:21 AM | Updated: 4:56 pm
The Arizona Diamondbacks would have been hard-pressed to come up with a worse start to the 2014 season.
After likely losing No. 1 starter Patrick Corbin for the season with a UCL injury, the D-backs opened the season with a pair of losses to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Australia, capped by a 7-5 defeat that wasn’t as close as the score would indicate on Saturday.
Neither their pitching or lineup were particularly effective, and the D-backs were never even tied in a game past the 0-0 mark.
Now, they’ll return to Arizona to play five exhibition games before kicking off the remainder of their regular-season slate next Monday.
Here’s a closer look at Saturday’s loss, by the numbers:
2
The D-backs managed to score just two runs in their first 26 innings of baseball in Australia before a four-run outburst in the ninth inning of Saturday’s loss.
3
D-backs closer Addison Reed struck out the side in his Arizona debut, though he walked one Dodger and hit another.
4
Starter Trevor Cahill lasted just four-plus innings Saturday, allowing eight hits and five runs while walking four and striking out one.
5
The Diamondbacks scored five runs in the last two innings Saturday, highlighted by Mark Trumbo’s first homer as a D-back — a two-run blast to left.
8
Diamondbacks pitchers combined to walk eight Dodgers Saturday, though Cahill was responsible for half of those.
54
Cahill threw just a paltry 54 percent of his 89 pitches for strikes as he continued to battle control issues.
5
The Diamondbacks’ bullpen combined to toss five innings in relief while allowing just one run and two hits while striking out six.
11
The Diamondbacks weren’t able to generate any opportunistic offense, leaving 11 runners on base — including stranding the bases loaded in both the seventh and eighth innings.
21
D-backs slugger Paul Goldschmidt extended his MLB-best hitting streak to 21 games dating to last season with a first-inning single.
38,079
Saturday’s game drew 38,079 fans to the historic Sydney Cricket Ground, bringing the two-game total to 76,345.
