D-backs’ Brandon Pfaadt stabilizes, finishes strong in Game 3 of World Series vs. Rangers

Arizona Diamondbacks rookie starting pitcher Brandon Pfaadt turned in yet another decent playoff showing in a 3-1 loss in Game 3 of the World Series against the Texas Rangers on Monday night.

The third starter in the rotation faced more batters than he had in any game this postseason, going 5.1 innings (87 pitches/55 strikes) and allowing three earned runs on four hits and two walks. He also struck out four.

“It was super important considering what we’re going to go through tomorrow,” manager Torey Lovullo told reporters postgame. “We’re still discussing who that starting pitcher will be but pitching into the sixth inning and giving us a little bit extra was a big moment for him. I know I extended him a little bit, but he accepted that responsibility. He did enough to win a baseball game. Unfortunately, we couldn’t give him any run support and that was the difference in the game for me.”

It was mostly smooth sailing for Pfaadt outside of a pesky third frame.

Through the first two innings in Game 3, Pfaadt was cruising. Six Rangers faced. Six Rangers out.

Then came the third.

After facing little trouble early on, Pfaadt was greeted with a leadoff double from Nathaniel Lowe.

A strikeout and groundout followed, as did a RBI single. Putting the fourth pitch he saw into play, Marcus Semien got the Rangers on the board with a base knock that scored Lowe.

One pitch later, Corey Seager was rounding the bases after roping a first-pitch changeup into the right field stands. Catcher Gabriel Moreno appeared to set up low and away, but Pfaadt let the pitch get middle-in, a dangerous location.

COREY SEAGER LAUNCHES ONE OUT 🚀@Rangers extend their lead!

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/RG4T1VlXXM

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 31, 2023

Instead of the floodgates opening after the moonshot, Pfaadt locked back in, striking out Adolis Garcia before recording seven more outs and a pair of walks.

Entering the matchup, Pfaadt was sporting a 2.70 ERA across 16.2 innings pitched (four games).

In place of Pfaadt was reliever Miguel Castro, who proceeded to follow his starter’s lead staring at a 3-0 deficit with one away in the sixth.

Despite giving up a single to the first batter he faced, Castro bounced back with a pair of outs to retire the side.

D-backs skipper Torey Lovullo then turned to Kyle Nelson in the seventh frame, where he put the Rangers down in order before Luis Frias did the same in the eighth.

Frias faced three more batters in the ninth, recording two outs and walk, before Andrew Saalfrank came in to record the final out of the evening.

Catch the rest of Game 3 of the Diamondbacks-Rangers World Series over on the Arizona Sports app, arizonasports.com or 98.7.

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