Dose of Venom: Goldschmidt comes through as D-backs come back to beat the Marlins
Jul 10, 2014, 12:06 AM | Updated: 6:02 am
PHOENIX — For five innings, it looked like just another one of those games where offense was going to be at a premium and, quite possibly, let the Arizona Diamondbacks down against the Miami Marlins.
After six innings, it looked like the punch-less Diamondbacks were in trouble.
After eight innings, it looked like the game might go into extra innings, and after nine and a half frames it appeared the D-backs were going to lose another game, and the series, after Brad Ziegler allowed a pair of runs on a Donovan Solano double in the top of the inning.
They trailed 3-1 at the time.
Then pinch hitter Aaron Hill led off the bottom of the 10th with a single following a nine-pitch at-bat against Marlins closer Steve Cishek, Ender Inciarte drew a walk, David Peralta brought Hill home with an RBI single and Paul Goldschmidt, as Paul Goldschmidt often does, roped a double into the left-centerfield gap that plated both base runners, giving the Diamondbacks a 4-3 win.
It was a nice way to win a game, especially after the D-backs were on the other end of a come-from-behind effort just the night before.
“They’re scrappy,” manager Kirk Gibson said. “We sent four guys to the plate and scored three runs (in the 10th), that was a great comeback.”
Indeed.
Starting pitcher Josh Collmenter was excellent for the D-backs, allowing just one run on seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts in seven innings. He didn’t factor into the decision in large part due to Miami’s Nathan Eovaldi, who surrendered just one run on four hits with one walk and two strikeouts in seven innings.
Be it due to sputtering offenses or great performances on the mound, it was a good old-fashioned pitchers’ duel in the desert.
“I got in a groove early on and tried to make sure that I was ready to go from pitch one,” Collmenter said, adding he’s struggled with that recently. “I was able to locate the fastball and throw the curveball and changeup off it, and when I can do that I have a lot more success than pitching behind.”
The Good:
Reliever Matt Stites tossed a clean eighth inning for Arizona, needing just 11 pitches in sending the side down in order.
D-backs pitchers held Marlins star Giancarlo Stanton to a 0-4 effort Wednesday. For the series, he was 0-11 with one RBI, one walk and six strikeouts.
In the series, D-backs starters Chase Anderson, Vidal Nuno and Collmenter combined to allow just three earned runs in 20 innings of work. They struck out 21 in the series.
The Bad:
The D-backs struggled offensively for the second straight day, and only second baseman Didi Gregorius mustered more than one hit Wednesday. The team also left eight on base.
Arizona had a chance to take the lead in the eighth, but with Nick Ahmed on third and Cody Ross on second with just one out, David Peralta popped out to first and, following an intentional walk to Miguel Montero, Goldschmidt grounded out to second.
He Said It:
“What can you say? He’s special. He’ll continue to be that way. He’s going to continue to get better. If he’s healthy, he’ll end up having a great place in the history of the game, I believe.” – D-backs manager Kirk Gibson on Paul Goldschmidt.
Noted:
• Ziegler threw 33 pitches in two innings. It was the most pitches he’s thrown in a game this season, but Gibson said he wasn’t worried about the workload since the team has a day off Thursday.
• Goldschmidt collected his 35th double on the season, which is a total that still leads all of baseball.
• Ahmed, a rookie, earned his first career RBI when his single scored Gregorius to tie the game in the eighth inning.
• Wednesday’s game saw the second blown save in the series, one for each team. Arizona’s Addison Reed coughed up a one-run lead the night before in a 2-1 loss.
Up Next:
The Diamondbacks will hit the road to take on the San Francisco Giants in the final series before the All-Star break. Rookie Mike Bolsinger (1-5, 5.13 ERA) will get the nod against Tim Lincecum (8-5, 3.91 ERA) in Friday’s opener. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. and can be heard on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.
