The Rangers started Max Scherzer last night -- presumably to rest their other pitchers -- and he got shelled. So the Astros are back in this thing:
Philadelphia 2 - 0 Arizona
Houston 1 - 2 Texas
Today we have a double-header, with the Phillies playing the D-Backs at 4 PM Central, followed by the Rangers and Astros at 7 PM Central. All the games are big now.
No score between the Phillies and D-Backs after 2.
ReplyDeleteStill no score after 4.
ReplyDeleteNo score after 5.
ReplyDeleteArizona's starting pitcher was Brandon Pfaadt (3-9, 5.72 ERA in 18 starts). After 5 2/3 innings, he was replaced by Andrew Saalfrank (0-0, 0.00 ERA in 10 appearances). I've never seen a game with two pitchers who each had a double a in their names.
ReplyDeleteArizona gets a leadoff double from Ketel Marte in the bottom of the 6th, but it comes for nothing as Jeff Hoffman comes in to get two key outs and strand Marte at third.
ReplyDeleteNo score after 6. The next team to score will probably win the game.
ReplyDeleteIn the top of the 7th, the Phillies play small ball. Bryce Harper leads off with a walk. The D-Backs bring in Ryan Thompson to pitch. Alec Bohm beats out a soft grounder to third, putting runners on first and second. Bryson Stott hits into a double play, and Harper goes to third. And then, with two out, Harper scores on a wild pitch! Phils lead 1-0 after 6 1/2.
ReplyDeleteBut wait! In the bottom of the 7th, the D-Backs strike back with a single and a double to tie the game. And then another single puts runners on 1st and 3d with no one out.
ReplyDeleteWhoa! Jose Alvarado gets Emmanuel Rivera to ground into a double play, and gets Geraldo Perdomo to ground out, and the threat from Arizona is over. We're tied 1-1 after 7.
ReplyDeleteWhatever happens, this feels like the second real game of the playoffs. The first was Atlanta's come-from-behind win over the Phillies.
ReplyDeleteStill 1-1 in the 9th. Bryce Harper draws a two-out walk.
ReplyDeleteWith a 2-2 count on Alec Bohm, Harper takes second uncontested.
ReplyDeleteBohm strikes out and the game is still 1-1 going into the bottom of the 9th.
ReplyDeleteCraig Kimbrel (8-6, 3.26 ERA, 23 saves in 71 appearances) will pitch the bottom of the Ninth for Philly.
ReplyDeleteShout out to the pitch clock because these teams have played 8 1/2 innings in 2 hours and 35 minutes.
ReplyDeleteKimbrel starts the ninth by walking Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. Gurriel then steals second, and the D-Backs have the winning run in scoring position with no one out.
ReplyDeletePavin Smith hits an infield single to second base, and the D-Backs have runners on 1st and 3d with no one out.
ReplyDeleteI can tell you that under these circumstances, the next two batters for the Nationals would certainly strike out.
ReplyDeleteSmith advances to second on catcher's indifference. Emmanual Rivera hits a grounder to Trea Turner at short with the infield drawn in. Gurriel tries to score, and Turner throws him out at the plate! One out. Runners on first and second. (I don't know why Smith didn't advance from second to third).
ReplyDeleteNext up is Geraldo Perdomo, the number 9 hitter. Kimbrel gets ahead 1-2, but then throws three balls in a row to walk Perdomo and load the bases.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteAnd there's your ballgame. Ketel Marte lines an 0-1 pitch to center field, scoring Smith and winning the game for Arizona. Final score: Diamondbacks 2, Phillies 1.
The Phillies had a great chance to bury the D-Backs today, and they did not take it. We'll see if it costs them.
ReplyDeleteNow we go to Arlington, Texas, where the Rangers have opened the roof for the first time since May.
ReplyDeleteIn Arlington, the Astros start with a double from Altuve, a single from Dubon, a triple by Bregman, and a single by Alvarez. They lead 3-0 before a lot of the Rangers fans have found their seats.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what the Astros did to Washington in the 2019 World Series. They lost the first two games in Houston, and then came up here and just crushed the Nats three straight.
ReplyDeleteWith two out and two on and three in the Rangers have to pull their starting pitcher, Andrew Heaney (10-6, 4.25 ERA in 28 starts). They will turn to Dane Dunning, (12-7, 3.70 ERA in 26 starts).
ReplyDeleteDunning stops the flood, and after one half of an inning the score is Houston 3, Texas coming to the plate.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, the McCracken County boys' soccer team beat Louisville DeSales on penalty kicks to advance to the KHSAA Final Four.
ReplyDeleteRangers go down 1-2-3. Houston leads 3-0 after one.
ReplyDeleteAdolis Garcia hits a home run to center to lead off the bottom of the 2d, and now it's 3-1 for the Astros.
ReplyDeleteThe Rangers get another run on a walk, a double, and a sacrifice fly, and Houston's lead is 3-2 after 2.
ReplyDeleteKarl Ravech keeps referring to a pitch as a "sweeper." I've never heard that term before, but the Internet tells me that a sweeper is a curveball that breaks from side to side, instead of dropping.
ReplyDeleteNow this is a game. Texas claws back another run in the bottom of the 3d to tie the game at 3-3. But then Houston gets four runs in the top of the 4th -- in large part due to a three-run homer by Jose Abreu -- and they now lead 7-3.
ReplyDeleteAstros still lead 7-3 after 4.
ReplyDeleteOK, that's all for tonight. It looks as though we may get some real baseball over the weekend.
ReplyDelete