A closer look: Johnson leads Diamondbacks over Pirates
Aug 8, 2012, 1:57 AM | Updated: 4:42 am
Sure, you could read the box score and know who won, but
we
all
know that won’t tell you everything that happened in a
baseball
game. So, we will give you a closer look, providing you
with
the
analysis, quotes and notes from the D-backs’ August 8
win over the Pirates.
Final
score: Diamondbacks 10, Pirates 4.
The good:
The Diamondbacks looked to be on their way to their fourth straight loss and four and a half games back from the San Francisco Giants as they trailed 4-3 headed in to the eight inning. But then, the bats came alive.
Six batters in a row reached base in the top of the eighth, including a three run home run by Chris Johnson to give the Diamondbacks the 7-4 lead.
An inning later Miguel Montero drove in Justin Upton, and Chris Johnson belted another home run, making the score 10-4.
Though he did not pick up the win, Patrick Corbin had another quality start on the mound with 6 innings pitched and two earned runs on eight hits. In six appearances since the beginning of July, Corbin has given up just four runs in 20.2 innings pitched.
The bad:
Takashi Saito came out of the bullpen in the seventh inning and faced four batters. The first, Starling Marte, homered to tie the game at 3-3. The next three loaded the bases with two hits and a walk. Mike Zagurski relieved Saito, but gave up a sacrifice fly to give the Pirates the temporary 4-3 lead.
Noted:
Chris Johnson has hit five home runs and has driven in 15 runs in just eight games with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Johnson has only gone hitless in two of those eight games.
He said it:
“I’m just trying to keep it simple really, just trying to get a good pitch to hit and hit it hard. Some of them are going over the fence right now,” Johnson said. “Hopefully this continues, I know it’s probably not going to continue like it has been going but I’ll keep on the grind and every day just try to get better.”
Coming up:
Game three of the Diamondbacks four game series with the Pirates take place at 4:05 p.m. Wednesday. Ian Kennedy (10-8, 4.15 ERA) looks to win his fifth straight, matching up against Kevin Correia (8-6, 4.49 ERA). Correia has not lost a game in five starts.
