Ray pitches seven strong innings in Diamondbacks win
Aug 20, 2016, 9:26 PM | Updated: Aug 21, 2016, 1:19 pm
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Robbie Ray works against the San Diego Padres in the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Don Boomer)
(AP Photo/Don Boomer)
Robbie Ray did his job Saturday night in San Diego and gave the Arizona Diamondbacks a chance to win.
Ray pitched seven strong innings and recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts before handing the ball to the bullpen in the eighth inning with a 2-1 lead.
Ray picked up his seventh win after giving up one hit, a solo home run to Patrick Kivlehan in the fifth inning and walked just one batter.
“He had that one pitch and he just left it in the middle, but other than that he had a dynamic fastball and he did a wonderful job,” said Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale.
But in the eighth inning, it looked like all of Ray’s hard work would be for not when the Padres managed to load the bases with no outs. However, Daniel Hudson was able to shut the door by getting three fly ball outs and the Diamondbacks escaped with Ray’s gem still in tack as Arizona went on for the 2-1 win over the Padres.
“Daniel was just wonderful, he came in with the bases loaded and got three pop-ups,” Hale said.
The Diamondbacks would give Ray the run support he would need in the sixth when Rickie Week’s RBI singled scored Phil Gosselin.
Ray retired the first seven hitters he faced — five of those being the strikeout. He walked Clayton Richard in the third inning and then proceeded to retire the next 14 of 16 hitters he faced with eight of those coming from the strikeout.
