D-backs’ Zack Godley dominates with curveball in win over Giants
Apr 9, 2018, 10:18 PM | Updated: Apr 10, 2018, 1:54 pm
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zack Godley throws to the San Francisco Giants during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, April 9, 2018, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
There wasn’t much drama in Monday night’s game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Francisco Giants.
Most of that had to do with D-backs starting pitcher Zack Godley.
Godley went seven innings, allowing four hits, zero runs and no walks while striking out nine in a 2-1 Arizona win. Godley now has a 0.64 ERA through two starts.
“Their aggressiveness just played right into what we wanted to do going into the game,” Godley told reporters on FOX Sports Arizona. “They don’t hit it. That’s about the best I got for you.”
The lack of drama was due to the Giants never having any real momentum off Godley.
Continuing to fool hitters with his signature curveball — all of his strikeouts came via the pitch — Godley faced just three hitters in all seven innings he pitched in except the fifth.
Zack Godley was filthy tonight: 7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K. pic.twitter.com/OmSMniq39J
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) April 10, 2018
In that fifth inning, San Francisco had runners on first and third off two singles with one out, but a popout and a groundout off that curveball allowed Godley to escape.
Godley’s double plays in the second and seventh innings had the other two hits he gave up not bring any real threat.
Even better for the lack of suspense was the D-backs getting both of their runs in the first inning.
Ketel Marte singled with one out and Paul Goldschmidt came up next. Goldschmidt hit the fourth pitch he saw off Giants starter Derek Holland to the infamous gap in right-center at AT&T Park for a triple, scoring Marte.
A.J. Pollock would fulfill his duties as the cleanup hitter on the next at-bat, bringing home Goldschmidt on a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.
From Godley’s exit, Yoshihisa Hirano made it somewhat interesting in the eighth. Brandon Crawford doubled off him and he would score after a flyout moved him to third and a grounder brought him home.
Hirano would end the inning there, striking out Pablo Sandoval to leave the save opportunity open in the ninth.
Archie Bradley would get the call and had a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out two and picking up his second career save and first of 2018. Per Fox Sports Arizona, D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said after the game that Brad Boxberger pitching in three of the last four games led to Bradley getting the ninth.
It’s a win Lovullo has to feel good about, as his team only got two hits off Holland in six innings and finished with five total, the same as the Giants.
The D-backs are now off to an 8-2 start.
UP NEXT
Patrick Corbin will be on the mound Tuesday night and was originally scheduled to take on Johnny Cueto, but the Giants made a late change after Monday’s game. San Francisco’s 2014 first-round pick Tyler Beede will instead get the nod and will be making his major league debut.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. on ESPN 620 AM.
