Game 88: Arizona 8 @ San Diego 10

Record: 43-45, Pace: 79-83, 4th in NL West, 5th Place in NL Wild Card

Both Arizona and San Diego came into this game riding highs. For Arizona, they’d essentially swept the Dodgers (minus a bad pitch or two from Seawald – his first problematic showing all season!). San Diego meanwhile was riding the high of taking 2 out of 3 from the reigning World Champion Texas Rangers!

Carroll led the game off with a double. He scored when JOC HOMERED TO DEAD CENTER (AZ 2-0)! Gurriel also doubled but nothing else fun happened. Cecconi matched the offense’s vibe and shut down the Padres in the first! Sadly the offense couldn’t replicate in the second, going down in order. Cecconi was less sharp in the second, allowing a run on some small ball: Machado doubled and advanced to home on the next two outs (AZ 2-1). Vasquez again retired the side in the third. Thankfully Cecconi matched him.

Gabi and Suarez made some noise in the fourth, but Alek ended the fun with a groundout to third (but it wasn’t second, so progress?)… It came back to haunt the team though as Cecconi struggled the second time through the order. Jackson Merrill tripled two runs home (SD 3-2) and then scored himself when David Peralta doubled (SD 4-2). Cecconi struck Kim out, but Higashioka singled Peralta home (SD 5-2). After an infield single to Arraez, Cecconi ended the inning. Despite a Perdomo single, Carroll grounded into a double play and Marte ended the inning with his own groundout. Cecconi got the first two outs of the fifth on his own double play, but Suarez erred on a grounder, which ended Slade’s night in favor of Jacques. Thankfully he quickly ended the inning. The sixth was not fun for Arizona. HIGASHIOKA HOMERED IN THE BOTTOM HALF WITH A RUNNER ON (SD 7-2)! The bleeding stopped there.

The top of the seventh was another nothing showing for the Arizona bats. Castellanos kept San Diego from scoring. Newman hit for Pederson in the eighth, but San Diego countered with a pitching change and Newman struck out. Castellanos stayed on the mound for Arizona and handled the eighth without issue. The offense looked alive in the ninth as Gurriel and Moreno singled before McCarthy (hitting for Suarez) walked. ALEK THOMAS HIT A GRAND SLAM OFF NEW PITCHER SUAREZ (SD 7-6)! Perdomo then had a nice grounder that Arraez made a nice play on. But Carroll earned himself a hustle double so that Ketel Grichuk could bat. HE HIT A TWO RUN HOME RUN (AZ 8-7)! Newman kept the hit parade going, which also ended Suarez’s (SD Closer) night. Walker struck out to end the fun.

The defense for the bottom of the ninth was as intriguing as the choice to remove Marte with Herrera catching, Moreno to Third, Newman at second, McCarthy in right and Seawald on the mound. It did not go well. Seawald immediately gave up a GAME-TYING HOME RUN TO PROFAR (TIE 8-8). He proceeded to walk the next batter which set MACHADO UP TO WALK THE GAME OFF (SD 10-8)!

ARIZONA 8, SAN DIEGO 10 LOSS

Conclusion

As with many Cecconi starts, this game started well enough. He looked great the first time through the order. Then it rolled over. From there, it was all down hill on the pitching side. The bullpen wasn’t horrid. The offense had a first inning. Then they went home until the ninth where they loaded the based and forced San Diego to use their closer in a 7-2 ballgame. They had a PHENOMENAL showing, taking the lead back.

Grichuk got to be the big hero tonight, however it comes with some trepidation about Marte who looked both fine and a little worried in the dugout after being pinch hit for.

FanGraphs

Up Next

Matt Waldron welcomes Brandon Pfaadt to Petco Park for the second game of the series. First pitch is at 6:40pm Arizona Time.