The Diamondbacks deserve more respect
The Diamondbacks have now won 4 games in a row! 3 of those victories came against the powerhouse LA Dodgers, and last night's triumph came against the team with the best record in the NL, the Milwaukee Brewers.
Diamondbacks play-by-play commentator Steve Berthiaume said it best; after Nick Ahmed dropped down a bunt single in the bottom of the 8th in last night's game, Steve cheerfully said, “This team is going to be a major pain in the neck to play.”
I couldn’t agree more. With the combination of speed, athleticism, and grit, this team is going to be a nightmare for opposing ball clubs all season. If the rotation can get on track and the bullpen can continue to stay in the middle of the pack, this team is going to surprise some people.
Last night was just another statement win for Arizona; allow me to tell a story of how everything unfolded in the D-backs 7th victory of 2023.
Diamondbacks vs Brewers recap
With a 3-0 win on Monday night, Arizona improved to 7-4 on the young season and they remain atop the highly-talented NL West. Two words can be used to describe what won the game for Arizona last night; Zac Gallen.
Ah yes, this is the Zac Gallen we all know from 2022. After struggling mightily in his first two starts of 2023, Gallen made the Milwaukee hitters look like they were supposed to be in another professional sport. Which was insanely impressive considering coming into last night, the Brew Crew averaged the 3rd most runs per game in the MLB.
Zac Gallen shoved tonight as the @DBacks win their 4th game in a row! pic.twitter.com/ctaV3omsJY
— MLB (@MLB) April 11, 2023
Gallen’s final stat line reads as follows: 7 innings pitched, 96 pitches, 0 runs, 1 walk, 11 strikeouts, and 17 swings and misses. Can’t think of a better way to respond to adversity.
Outside of the right arm of Zac Gallen, there were a couple of other vital pieces of the victory puzzle for Arizona last night. Ketel Marte went 2-3 with 1 walk and 2 runs. Christian Walker socked a two-run home run in the bottom of the 5th that gave the Arizona pitching staff all the insurance they needed.
After Gallen’s stellar 7 innings of work, the bullpen came in and closed the door with authority. Scott McGough was handed the ball in the 8th and recorded a 1-2-3 inning with 1 strikeout (recording a hold). Then Andrew Chafin was handed the ball for the 9th and struck out the side (recording a save).
Monday night was as clean of a win as the Diamondbacks may experience all season. No runs were given up, no errors were made, and Gabriel Moreno threw out the only attempted steal of the night; a complete team victory, that was as I said, especially clean.
After this little stretch of elite baseball, it is time the Diamondbacks garner more respect from around the league…
Next Diamondbacks game
Arizona will be back at it Tuesday night against the Brewers. The first pitch will be at 6:40 MST.