Didi Gregorius’ clutch homer gives D-backs win over Padres: By The Numbers
Aug 24, 2014, 2:45 AM | Updated: 3:23 am
Vidal Nuno should jump on the #killthewin bandwagon.
Five of Nuno’s nine starts after joining the Arizona Diamondbacks have gone down as quality starts, but the left-hander has lacked run support — and relief support — adding to his winless status in the desert. Saturday epitomized that in a way.
Facing Andrew Cashner and the San Diego Padres, Nuno went 7.1 innings allowing just two hits, but he loaded the bases before his eighth-inning exit and Oliver Perez’s damage control efforts weren’t quite enough to get out of the inning unscathed.
A groundball up the middle plated two, nullifying the D-backs pair of runs, which included Jake Lamb’s first career home run.
No matter, another home run in the bottom half of the inning would give back the edge to the D-backs.
Shortstop Didi Gregorius came to the plate with Lamb on first and Alfredo Marte on second and crushed a ball to the right field bleachers to put the D-backs up 5-2 with half a frame to go.
Addison Reed had no hiccups thereafter on the mound in the 9th, getting a 1-2-3 save to secure the D-backs’ series victory — their second such at home consecutively.
Here’s a look at the win, by the numbers:
1.26
D-backs starters have pitched to a 1.26 ERA over their last four games.
2
Nuno has allowed two earned runs or less in five of his last six games.
8
Lamb became the eighth D-backs rookie this season to record his first career home run, a mark which leads all major league teams.
12
Cameron Maybin is 12-for-27 (.444) against the D-backs this season.
71
Mark Trumbo’s fifth-inning triple was his first in 71 games, spanning to September of last year.
99
Reed’s save Saturday was the 99th of his career. He has converted all of his last 10 opportunities.
