Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers Round 1 Recap
By Peter Smith
Tuesday, April 26th
Dodgers 3 - Diamondbacks 5
W: Kennedy (1-1, 5.14 ERA); L: Graterol (0-1, 2.70 ERA); SV: Melancon (3rd, 1.29 ERA)
This game opened up in a not-so-fun way: a bases-loaded double from Will Smith that plated three runs in the first. I looked at the notification on my watch and groaned. I was ready to see more crooked numbers. And then I didn't see any more, at least not from Los Angeles.
Tony Gonsolin opened this game up for the Dodgers and was pretty effective, fanning four through the first two innings. He stumbled in the third allowing a single and a walk. And from there, it all unraveled. Gavin Lux makes an error that lets Varsho on and lets two runners score. Then Pavin piles on with a single that tied the game. That's something the Diamondbacks need to be more consistent with: timely hitting. Capitalizing on mistakes is huge and is something every team wants to do.
Following his rocky first inning, Zach Davies cruises for a while, getting some traffic on the bases, but no runs scored. From there, the bullpen came out and looked pretty darn good. Kyle Nelson, J.B. Wendelken, Joe Mantiply, and Ian Kennedy all hung up zeroes. Again, traffic was a problem for some of these guys. Mantiply had runners on first and second and Kennedy worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam.
The big moment for the Diamondbacks came in the bottom of the eighth when the Freight Train went on the tracks and never looked back. A two-run, go-ahead home run? I'll take those any day of the week. From there, Melancon came in and picked up the save with no issues.
This is the team I think the Diamondbacks are. I sincerely believe that. A never quit mentality, taking advantage of the situations they're in. That'll be a theme going forward, I'm sure of it.