D-backs score three runs on one hit in wild fourth inning
Aug 7, 2016, 4:17 PM
Milwaukee Brewers' Jonathan Villar (5) falls over the railing after making a leaping catch on a foul ball hit by Arizona Diamondbacks' Tuffy Gosewisch as Brewers' Orlando Arcia (3) arrives late to help out during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Wild innings are not new to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Just recently, the team had a seventh inning for the ages in a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
This time around, things got a little nutty in the fourth inning.
Down 2-0 to the Milwaukee Brewers, outfielder Yasmany Tomas started things off with a single to center field. That shouldn’t be surprising, though, as Tomas has hit safely in 15 of the last 17 games, and is hitting .364 with six doubles, eight home runs and 14 RBI.
Milwaukee’s Jimmy Nelson started having trouble finding the strike zone, and Rickie Weeks, Jr. and Chris Owings earned back-to-back walks to load the bases.
Now, this is when things start getting out of control.
Catcher Tuffy Gosewisch fouled off a ball that looked like it was heading into the stands, but third baseman Jonathan Villar secured the catch while flying over the dugout railing. Because Villar was out of the field of play, the base runners were able to advance. Score one run for Arizona.
Next up, Archie Bradley. With runners now on second and third, the pitcher decided to drop a sacrifice squeeze bunt attempt. First baseman Andy Wilkins fielded the ball and tried to get the lead runner out at the plate. Instead, Wilkins airmailed the ball over Martin Maldonado. Bradley was able to advance all the way to second, giving the Diamondbacks another runner in scoring position. Score another run for Arizona, and one throwing error for Milwaukee.
It’s not often that a team commits a throwing error, let alone two. In the same inning. On back-to-back plays.
Jean Segura grounded a chopper to the Nelson and the pitcher turned for an easy out at first. Think again. The Brewers pitcher sent the ball past Wilkins, and Owings was able to scamper home. Score run number three for Arizona.
#Dbacks have one ball out of the infield and three runs in the last of the fourth. Two HBPs, sac fly, sac and two throwing errors. It's 3-2.
— Jack Magruder (@JackMagruder) August 7, 2016
Mixed bag for #Brewers defense in 4th. Great diving catch by Villar and now a nice pick-off by Maldonado, but also two errors.
— Jake Rill (@JakeDRill) August 7, 2016
Somehow, the Diamondbacks were able to score three runs by only getting one base hit, coincidentally by the team’s hottest hitter. That’s some solid good luck for a team that’s been riddled with the opposite all season.
