Diamondbacks-Nationals Recap: Swept in DC
Vidal Nuno deserved his first D’backs’ win on Monday night. Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
I know, the Arizona Diamondbacks aren’t going anywhere. However, that doesn’t mean we stop watching the games, no matter how torturous they get. This four game sweep at the hands of the red-hot Washington Nationals was particularly painful. Monday night’s loss was one of the most heart-breaking setbacks of the season.
Once again, Vidal Nuno deserved a better fate. He pitched seven innings and allowed only two earned runs, leaving with a 3-2 advantage. He was in line for his first Snakes’ victory until Brad Ziegler coughed up the lead, allowing the Nats to score two runs to take a 4-3 lead. However, in the bottom of the ninth, David Peralta tied the ballgame with a solo home run off Tyler Clippard. The game went to extra innings and in the 11th, the D’backs loaded the bases with no one out. While watching this, I thought to myself, “they are really going to pull this one out”. Then I was reminded why this has been such a terrible season. Jake Lamb and Didi Gregorius (who hit a two-run shot earlier in the game) struck out and Cliff Pennington grounded out to end the threat. Of course, Adam LaRoche took Will Harris deep to give Washington the 5-4 victory.
Tuesday night was a mess with Chase Anderson giving up six runs in three innings in a 8-1 loss. The D’backs were getting shut out by Tanner Roark on Wednesday into the eighth inning. Trevor Cahill had another solid outing, going 6 1/3 innings allowing two earned runs but left trailing 2-0 However, Arizona struck late again with Ender Inciarte launching a two-run homer off Clippard to tie the game at 2. But in a tale of the directions these two teams are going, Anthony Rendon‘s game-ending single gave the Nats a 3-2 win. Wade Miley pitched an erratic 6 2/3 innings of shutout ball as you can get. He allowed a total of 14 baserunners (8 hits, 6 walks) but induced three double plays as the teams entered the ninth inning scoreless. Jordan Pacheco‘s throwing error allowed Denard Span to score the winning run in a 1-0 final.
Too bad the D’backs can’t face Clippard every other game. He is one of the premier setup men in all of baseball yet the only time the D’backs generated any kind of offense (outside of the Gregorius HR) was when he was in the game. The rotation was a different story. Outside of Anderson’s poor start, the other three members of the rotation gave up a total of four earned runs in 20 innings. The D’backs have now lost six games in a row and concluded their road trip with a record of 2-8.
The team returns home on Friday to face the San Diego Padres in a three game weekend set. After the Padres visit, the Los Angeles Dodgers visit Chase Field for a brief two game series. Arizona is now 53-75, two games ahead of the last place Colorado Rockies.