What are the shortest Diamondbacks games in Chase Field history?
May 18, 2024, 11:11 AM
Brandon Webb #17 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Chase Field on August 5, 2008 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)
(Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)
PHOENIX — Major League Baseball’s implementation of the pitch clock and disengagement limits have successfully reduced the time it takes to run through a ballgame. The average game lasted two hours and 40 minutes last year, down 24 minutes from 2022.
That said, the Arizona Diamondbacks sprinted through their 2-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday especially quickly. They won in one hour and 59 minutes, their first nine-inning game under two hours at home in 16 years.
“I think that’s the first sub-two hour game I’ve ever been a part of,” manager Torey Lovullo said postgame.
And while the average game is shorter now, some of the speediest D-backs games came before the changes, when pitchers went deeper into games with fewer calls to the bullpen.
What are the shortest games in Chase Field history?
1. May 31, 2008: Diamondbacks 4, Nationals 0 in one hour and 52 minutes
Brandon Webb threw a complete-game shutout, his seventh in three seasons, with 113 pitches and eight strikeouts. Washington also never removed starter Jason Bergmann despite him giving up four solo home runs in eight innings (Mark Reynolds x2, Justin Upton and Chris Young).
2. Sept. 9, 2006: Diamondbacks 3, Cardinals 0 in one hour and 54 minutes
Webb threw another complete-game shutout. This time it came in only 96 pitches with one hit allowed against the eventual 2006 World Series champions. Carlos Quentin homered for Arizona and Craig Counsell picked up two hits.
T3. April 10, 2001: Diamondbacks 2, Dodgers 1 in one hour and 55 minutes
Another game without a pitching change, Arizona’s Curt Schilling outdueled Dodgers starter Kevin Brown, delivering nine innings with no runs and two hits. Luis Gonzalez homered off Brown to take a 2-0 lead.
T3. Aug. 5, 2008: Diamondbacks 3, Pirates 1 in one hour and 55 minutes
Webb’s third complete game on the list was not a shutout but another win. The Pirates picked up a run in the ninth inning, but Webb struck out two in a row to end the game and strand a pair of runners. Young hit a two-run shot off Pirates starter Zach Duke to take the lead.
5. May 15, 2024: Diamondbacks 2, Reds 1 in one hour and 59 minutes
Brandon Pfaadt delivered seven innings with one earned run and nine strikeouts. Christian Walker homered off Reds starter Andrew Abbott, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. dropped a game-winning double into right during the eighth inning.
What was the shortest Diamondbacks game?
Arizona’s shortest game played to date was on the road on Aug. 25, 2004.
The Diamondbacks were in Pittsburgh and fell 2-1 in one hour and 47 minutes.
Randy Johnson threw eight innings with two runs allowed on back-to-back home runs by Jack Wilson and Jason Bay. He also struck out 11 hitters. Josh Fogg on the other side threw eight frames with one run allowed for the win.
