Diamondbacks offense falls flat in Game 3 of World Series vs. Rangers

The Arizona Diamondbacks struggled offensively throughout most of a 3-1 loss to the Texas Rangers in Game 3 of the World Series on Monday night.

Even with Max Scherzer’s premature exit in the third inning due to back tightness, Arizona was held to just six hits and the lone run throughout its first home game of the World Series.

Monday’s showing marks the first time since Game 5 of the NLCS that the D-backs were held to just one run.

That’s not to say there weren’t chances.

While Arizona was held mostly in check at the plate throughout the night, the D-backs looked to have something going early on in the second inning.

With one swing of the bat, first baseman Christian Walker broke out of a postseason slump behind a long double to right-center field.

Two pitches later, a Tommy Pham single should have moved Walker over to third.

Key words: Should have.

Instead of looking at two on with no outs and Lourdes Gurriel up to bat, Walker was called out at home after trying to score from second following a late switch in signs from base coach Tony Perezchica. An Alek Thomas groundout would follow, erasing any of the offensive potential in the process.

It didn’t help matters that Scherzer’s replacement, Jon Gray, turned in a strong fill-in performance behind three innings of one-hit baseball and three strikeouts.

The D-backs only other real chance at scoring came in the eighth inning.

With reliever Aroldis Chapman on the bump for the Rangers, pinch-hitter Emmanuel Rivera got momentum on Arizona’s side with a leadoff double.

Geraldo Perdomo followed the hit up with one of his own, ripping a 98-mph four-seam fastball for an RBI single.

But much like the second frame, Arizona was quick to hit a wall as Corbin Carroll struck out looking before Ketel Marte grounded out into a double play.

A 1-2-3 ninth inning would spell the unceremonious end to Arizona’s chances of a comeback.

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