Bad, bad inning leads to D-backs loss to Brewers in Game 2 of NLDS
The Arizona Diamondbacks can look to the bottom of the sixth inning of their 9-4 Game 2 National League Division Series loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
In the inning before Justin Upton hit a deep shot to the left field seats to tie the game 4-4.
Starting pitcher Daniel Hudson started the inning and after getting a ground out gave up a double.
Enter Brad Ziegler. Enter bad inning.
Ziegler starts it off by committing a balk and walking Yuniesky Betancourt.
“I honestly don’t know what he called. I didn’t ask him about it,” said Ziegler of the balk call. “I didn’t feel like I balked. I felt my (front) foot came down on top of the rubber, so I felt I was clear of my back foot at that point. It didn’t matter after that.”
The Brewers then ran a successful squeeze play.
The Diamondbacks were not ready for it. Ziegler fields the ball and throws it past catcher Miguel Montero. A Brewer scores and the baserunners end up on second base.
Just in case you’re wondering, Paul Goldschmidt was late on crashing and even if Ziegler didn’t go home with it he wouldn’t have been able to get an out because Aaron Hill wouldn’t have covered first base in time.
“It’s a free RBI if you execute and I really work hard to get that down,” Brewer Jonathan Lucroy said. “A safety squeeze, all you’ve got to do is get it down to the right area.”
At this point Ziegler had to be thinking he couldn’t do anything right.
Maybe it was just a bad day on the bump or maybe those two plays flustered him. Either way, the next four Brewers reached base while facing Ziegler. He never did record an out.
By the time manager Kirk Gibson removed Ziegler from the game the Brewers had pushed the game out of reach at 9-4. Two other Diamondback relievers came in, Joe Paterson and Bryan Shaw, and got the team out of the inning.
“It was crazy,” Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero said. “I didn’t even get a chance to second-guess myself. It was like, ‘OK, here we go – boom, boom, boom, boom.’ I’m like, ‘What’s going on over here?'”
Bottom of 6:
Brewers sixth. R.Weeks grounded out, shortstop Bloomquist to first baseman Goldschmidt. Hairston Jr. doubled to left. Ziegler pitching. On Ziegler’s balk, Hairston Jr. to third. Y.Betancourt walked on four pitches. Lucroy safe at second on a sacrifice plus pitcher Ziegler’s throwing error, Hairston Jr. scored, Y.Betancourt to third. Kotsay pinch-hitting for Saito. Kotsay was intentionally walked. Hart singled to center, Y.Betancourt scored, Lucroy to third, Kotsay to second. Morgan singled to center, Lucroy scored, Kotsay scored, Hart to third. Braun singled to center, Hart scored, Morgan to second. Paterson pitching. Fielder struck out. Shaw pitching. R.Weeks grounded into fielder’s choice, second baseman A.Hill unassisted, Braun out.
Runs: 5, Hits: 4
An inning the Diamondbacks will quickly need to forget about.
