ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Jarrod Dyson walks off Rangers to push D-backs over .500

Apr 9, 2019, 11:23 PM | Updated: 11:35 pm
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)...
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

PHOENIX, Ariz. — Jarrod Dyson had never hit a walk-off home run at the Major-League level entering Tuesday’s contest with the Texas Rangers. He can add it to his list of baseball accomplishments now though.

The 34-year old outfielder only got one at-bat in the game, but he made it count.

With Eduardo Escobar standing on second base and the Diamondbacks trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Dyson launched a Jose Leclerc pitch into the right-field seats to give Arizona the 5-4 win in dramatic fashion.

“It felt great,” he said afterward. “Anytime you can help your team off the bench, it’s a good thing. Skip called on me, and I did my job.”

Dyson’s home run completed a pretty impressive comeback by the D-backs, who trailed 4-0 early on in this one.

In fact, Tuesday’s contest was sort of a microcosm of Zack Greinke’s season so far. The veteran righty couldn’t get anyone out to start the game, allowing the first three Texas batters he saw to reach base. Two of them scored and they were joined by two of their teammates in the second inning. Before most of the 16,620 fans at Chase Field had even found their seats, Arizona was down by four.

It didn’t look good. At all. But then Greinke settled in and promptly retired the next 14 batters in order.

“Pitches were a little up in the first inning,” he explained. “And then the second inning? Just probably good hitting for the most part. And then made some better pitches after that. But maybe a little up in the zone the first inning, maybe inning and a half. Especially the first inning.”

Greinke’s performance was oddly reflective of how he has looked overall in the 2019 campaign so far.

The pitcher struggled mightily in the first game against the Dodgers, allowing seven runs in just 3.2 innings of work. As if that weren’t bad enough, he also served up four homers, paving the way for LA to set an Opening Day record with eight for the afternoon.

As it turns out, that game set the stage for a rough run through Arizona’s entire rotation to begin the year. When the dust settled after the first five games, D-back starters had a combined ERA of 9.00 with nine homers surrendered in 24 innings of work.

Not a great way to start the season.

But they collectively bounced back in their second outings. And Greinke led the way, giving up just three runs in 6 innings of work on April 2 in an 8-5 win over the Padres. His effort on the mound took a backseat to his own hitting in that game though, as he delivered a pair of home runs at the plate. To put that in perspective, he had hit six total dingers in his entire career leading up to that game.

After Greinke responded, so did the rest of the rotation. In their second wave of games, the starters combined for a 2.90 ERA in 31 innings, giving up just three home runs along the way.

And they faced the reigning champion Boston Red Sox in that stretch. Not exactly an easy path to pitching success.

It all adds up to a 6-5 start for the Diamondbacks, who also got home runs from John Ryan Murphy and Nick Ahmed in Tuesday’s win. They’ll complete their quick two-game set with Texas on Wednesday, as Robbie Ray takes the mound against Lance Lynn.

Texas Rangers relief pitcher Jose Leclerc walks off the field after giving up a walk-off, two-run home run to Arizona Diamondbacks' Jarrod Dyson in a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks won 5-4. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' Jarrod Dyson (1) celebrates his walk-off, two-run home run against the Texas Rangers with teammates as he reaches home plate during a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks won 5-4. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' Jarrod Dyson has ice poured over him by David Peralta (6) after Dyson's two-run, walk-off home run against the Texas Rangers in a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks won 5-4. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' Jarrod Dyson, right, watches his walk-off, two-run home run next to Texas Rangers catcher Jeff Mathis during a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks won 5-4. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' Christian Walker (53) scores a run as Texas Rangers catcher Jeff Mathis, right, waits for a late throw during the ninth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks won 5-4. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' Jarrod Dyson rounds the bases after hitting a walk-off, two-run home run against the Texas Rangers in a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks won 5-4. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Yoshihisa Hirano, of Japan, throws a pitch against the Texas Rangers during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks won 5-4. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Texas Rangers starting pitcher Mike Minor throws a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks defeated the Rangers 5-4. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Texas Rangers starting pitcher Mike Minor, right, pauses on the mound after giving up a home run to Arizona Diamondbacks' Nick Ahmed, left, during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks defeated the Rangers 5-4. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' Jarrod Dyson celebrates his two-run walk-off home run against the Texas Rangers in a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks defeated the Rangers 5-4. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Texas Rangers starting pitcher Mike Minor throws to an Arizona Diamondbacks batter during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Texas Rangers' Shin-Soo Choo, of South Korea, waits to bat in the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Texas Rangers' Shin-Soo Choo (17), of South Korea, celebrates after scoring against the Arizona Diamondbacks with Rangers' Nomar Mazara, right, and Joey Gallo, left, during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Texas Rangers' Rougned Odor lays down a bunt against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. Odor beat the throw to first base to get a single on the play. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Texas Rangers' Rougned Odor (12) beats out an infield single on a bunt as Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker (53) makes a late toss to first during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) After swinging on a third strike, Texas Rangers' Joey Gallo, left, is tagged out by Arizona Diamondbacks catcher John Ryan Murphy, who had dropped the ball, during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' John Ryan Murphy (36) slaps hands with third base coach Tony Perezchica as Murphy rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Texas Rangers during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' Zack Greinke flips his bat after losing his helmet on a swinging strike during the third inning of the team's baseball game against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zack Greinke throws to a Texas Rangers batter during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 9, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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