Grit Index: D-backs fall to Phillies, winning streak ends at five
May 12, 2013, 4:27 AM
The Arizona Diamondbacks five-game winning streak was snapped Saturday, as they dropped the third game of their four-game set with the Philadelphia Phillies by the score of 3-1. The D-Backs still lead the series 2-1.
Coming in to Saturday’s game, the Phillies lineup had two players with an average over .270 and five players with an average under .245. The Diamondbacks entered the contest on a five-game winning streak, but were up against Cliff Lee, who started with a solid 3.26 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP.
All signs pointed to a low-scoring pitchers duel between Lee and Trevor Cahill, and that is exactly how the game unfolded.
The Phillies scored the games first run on a Jimmy Rollins sacrifice fly in the fifth inning after a wild pitch from Cahill allowed Ben Revere to advance from second to third base.
Cahill, who fell victim to a high pitch count, only completed five innings on the mound. He allowed three hits and one earned run to the Phillies, and in the process lowered his season ERA to 2.70.
In the seventh inning Rollins scored Revere from third again, this time on a bloop single off of Josh Collmenter, to make the score 2-0.
In the bottom half of the seventh, Arizona loaded the bases against Lee with two outs, but were unable to come up with a run as Will Nieves grounded out to short to end the inning.
Philadelphia added an insurance run in the eighth inning when Domonic Brown singled in Michael Young from second. However, the D-backs would answer in the bottom half of the inning, as Cody Ross would bring in Pollock on a sac fly to cut the score to 3-1.
The score would stay 3-1 though, as Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon would close the door on Arizona with a five-out save despite the D-backs’ best efforts. The Snakes managed to get the tying run to second base in the ninth inning, but failed to capitalize.
The Good:
Gerardo Parra made a nice catch against the wall in right field to rob Ryan Howard of an extra-base hit in the eighth inning.
A.J. Pollock, who went 2-4 in the game with a run scored, had two doubles off of Cliff Lee in the first and third innings.
The Bad:
Pollock never made it home, as he was stranded on second in the first inning, and was caught stealing in the third.
The D-backs bullpen saw its franchise-best-tying seven game scoreless streak come to an end.
Stat of the Game:
So far in the series, Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is 0-13 with eight strikeouts, and has earned just under $350,500 for his performance.
He Said It:
“I always like watching him pitch; you learn a lot from him.” – Cahill on his match-up against Lee.
Noted:
• The game’s attendance was announced as 28,113.
What’s Next:
The Diamondbacks will look to win the series against Philadelphia on Mother’s Day, as they will send Brandon McCarthy to the mound to take on Kyle Kendrick of the Phillies.
