Grit Index: D-backs continue extra-innings magic, down Dodgers 8-6 in series finale
Jun 13, 2013, 4:01 AM | Updated: 8:28 am
The Baseball Writers’ Association of America doesn’t have a “Utility Pitcher of the Year” award but, if they did, Josh Collmenter would be the clear-cut recipient.
The Arizona Diamondbacks’ long reliever has now recorded three extra-innings wins on the season, his ERA sitting at 2.86. Collmenter has pitched 11 innings of relief after the ninth inning for his club, giving up just one run — good for a 0.81 ERA in extras.
On Wednesday, it was Collmenter, along with outfielders Cody Ross and Gerardo Parra, and catcher Miguel Montero, who helped preserve Patrick Corbin’s undefeated streak, as the Diamondbacks used 20 hits to rally past the Los Angeles Dodgers in an 8-6 win.
The Diamondbacks have yet to lose a game that Corbin started, improving to 13-0 with their No. 5 starter on the mound and 7-2 against the Dodgers on the season.
The club leads the majors with eight extra-innings wins, losing just two such contests this season. Last season, they played in just seven extra-innings games all season.
The Good:
The Diamondbacks’ offense tallied 11 hits off of Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu, scoring three runs. The previously idle Cody Ross and Miguel Montero led the hit parade with four hits apiece — season highs for both of them. Gerardo Parra had three hits on the night, giving him 84 hits on the season, which is second-best among National League hitters and first among NL outfielders.
The Bad:
The Diamondbacks were up 3-0 when Patrick Corbin had the roughest inning of his season. In the bottom of the fifth, Dodgers catcher Ramon Hernandez used a groundout to plate Juan Uribe, who led the inning off with a double. Corbin proceeded to give up five consecutive two-out hits, including an RBI triple off the bat of opposing pitcher Ryu.
Closer Heath Bell also faltered, allowing two runs in the bottom of the 12th, including a Hernandez home run to lead off the inning.
He Said It
“If you really want to get technical about it, in baseball terms, it really shouldn’t be over.” – Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly said, referring to Tuesday night’s brawl
Noted:
Up Next:
The Diamondbbacks will open up a three-game series on Friday with the San Diego Padres on Friday, June 14 at 7:10 p.m. MST. Right-hander Trevor Cahill (3-7, 4.02) will take the hill, slated to face left-hander Eric Stults (5-5, 3.53) for the Padres.
Jeffrey Sanders contributed to this story.
