Diamondbacks 1, Rockies 0

Today’s game will be the rubber match of the series against the Rockies. We all know what happened last night, so I am not going to get into it. Today’s game will be Merrill Kelly against Chasing Dollars Chase Dollander.

Last season Merrill pitched in 3 games against the Rockies, only one of them coming at Chase Field. All 3 of his starts went well, as he went 6+ giving up 2 runs or less.

Dollander is a rookie RHP making his 8th start. He was drafted in the 1st round, 7th overall in 2023. The 2023 draft was the one in which Skenes was 1-1 and the Dbacks first rounder was Tommy Troy. Paul Skenes is pitching this afternoon against the Phillies. Skenes went 8 innings gave up a run on 3 hits and struck out 9 batters in a 1-0 loss.

Dollander’s most recent two road games came in Texas and Kansas City. Against the Rangers on 5/12, he went 6 innings and struck out 7, giving up 2 runs. The game against the Royals on 4/24 he lasted 4.2 innings and gave up 5 runs on 7 hits.

First inning

Jordan Beck, who hit the games first pitch for a home run last night, to start things off for the Rockies. He struck out. Kyle Farmer popped up to Naylor. Goodman lined out to RF.

In the bottom half of the inning, Corbin Carroll struck out. Marte hit hit 8th home run of the year. Gurriel and Naylor both walked. Ok, now I am caught up, that was going by gameday. (Thanks Centruylink!) Suarez with an 8 pitch at bat and then strikes out on a curveball. Pavin Smith is batting, full count. Three consecutive 3-2 counts. Pavin strikes out trying to check his swing and the 3B umpire rings him up. Dollander threw 38 pitches in this frame.

Second inning

McMahon leads things off and draws a walk. That was the first walk for Merrill in 21.1 innings. That might have been a pitch around, though. Doyle strikes out on a sinker. In Kelly’s last 11 starts against the Rockies, he is 6-0 with a 2.02 ERA. Michael Toglia strikes out. A 2-2 pitch to Moniak, got fouled straight back and the umpires mask gets hit and flies off. He is alright. Moniak strikes out!

Perdomo leads things off with a hard hit single past Amador at 2B. He then stole second as Alek Thomas strikes out swinging. Not sure if that was a hit and run and ended up being a successful steal. Herrera drew a a full count, fouls one off and then flies out to Doyle in CF. Perdomo couldn’t advacne. Carroll then flew out to the CF warning track to end it.

Third inning

Merrill Kelly strikes out Martini. He now has 5 straight strikeouts. Amador walks. Jordan Beck drives the ball to the RF warning track but Corbin has it for out number two. Farmer grounds into a fielder’s choice, 5-4. Kelly has thrown 48 pitches through 3 innings.

Marte to lead things off. He popped it up to 2B. Gurriel got jammed on a 2-0 pitch and popped it up to 3B. Naylor flies out to CF.

Fourth inning

Hunter Goodman, their catcher, strikes out swinging. He was way ahead of a curveball. McMahon strikes out. Doyle on a 1-2 pitch checks his swing and no swing says the 1B umpire. He ends up walking on a full count. There is a mound visit now. KElly throws over to 1B and Doyle barely gets back over. Then Toglia hits a slow tapper haldway down the 1B line and Naylor tags him out.

Suarez leads off our half inning and gets hit by a pitch in his back as he was trying to turn away from it. Pavin strikes out. Perdomo flies out to CF and Thomas flies out to LF. Dollander at 82 pitches.

Fifth inning

Moniak, full count, strikes him out! Eight now for Kelly! Nick Martini shows bunt, yes he offered, he will eventually strike out looking at a pitch at the bottom of the zone. Amador flies out to CF. Merrill is at 81 pitches.

Herrera grounds out to McMahon at 3B. Rockies have LHP Ryan Rolison up in the bullpen. Dollander strikes out Corbin and now has 91 pitches. Dollander still touching 98, still throwing hard. Marte draws a full count, before smashing a single to CF. Dollander will leave the game. He did a nice job of settling in after a 38 pitch forst inning. He laves with 98 thrown. He gave up 3 hits, walked 2 and gave up Marte’s solo home run and struck out 6. Rolison in to pitch now. He is making his 3rd career appearance. Gurriel hacks at the first pitch he sees and flies out to RF.

Sixth inning

This is the fourth time Merrill has not given up a hit through 5. This is the 2nd time in his career he has 9 Ks through 5 innings. Beck doubles down the LF line for the Rockies first hit. Because, of course. Farmer hit a tapper to the mound, and it froze Beck halfway between 2B and 3B, Merrill ran right at Beck who didnt really seem to know what to do. Then Kelly tossed it to Suarez, who was able to run him down trying to get back to 2B. That looked weird. Officially it is a 1-5 fielders choice but an odd one. Goodman draws a full count, then grounds into a 5-4-3 double play to end it! That was much better! Kellly is at 93 pitches and the broadcast said there is no one up in our bullpen as of a few minutes ago.

Rolison still in. Naylor flies out to RF. Suarez strikes out. Pavin Smith flies out to Beck in LF.

Seventh inning

Kelly still in the game. McMahon, full count, fouls one off, and strikes out. Ten strikeouts is a season high. He did not get double digit strikeouts last season. Doyle grounds out to Perdomo. Beeks is ready, but Lovullo will stick with Kelly. Toglia gets to a full count, gets the punchout! Kelly has 109 pitches, so he will be done. Broadcast says that matches a career hgih from April 2019. He leaves with 7 IP, 11 Ks, 1 hit allowed and 3 walks.

Rolison still pitching. Perdomo pops up behind the plate to Goodman. Ginkel is throwing in our bullpen. Thomas flies out to CF. Herrera drops a hit in front of Doyle in CF. Corbin hits a tapper to the mound but gets called out since he left the base line trying to get around the 1B.

Eight inning

Ginkel now on to pitch. Moniak strikes out starting off their inning. Martini flies out to Gurriel. Rockies has Tyler Kinley throwing in their pen. Amador strikes out on a foul tip! Let’s get some insurance runs!

Kinley is in to pitch for the Rockies. He threw 20 pitches last night, according to the broadcast. Marte draws a walk on a full count to lead off the frame. Gurriel with a 3-1 count, he walks. Naylor strikes out on three pitches. Shelby Miller is throwing in our pen. Suarez grounds into a 5-4-3 double play to end it.

Ninth inning

Shelby Miller will get the top 3 in the Rockies order-Beck, Farmer and Goodman. Beck 2-1, big hack but foul, strikes out swinging on a 95 MPH pitch in the middle of the plate! Farmer singles to RF. Why can’t we have a boring 9th. Tyler Freeman will come on to pinch run for Farmer. Freeman running as Goodman dumps one in front of a sliding Corbin and it gets to the wall for a double. They intentionally walk McMahon to load the bases. Doyle hits a pop up, the infield fly rule is in effect, Perdomo has it. Toglia hits a line drive right at Perdomo who has it! Game over! 1-0 Win!

Time of the ballgame was 2 hours and 25 minutes, the attendance was 28,888. The Rockies had 3 hits and 14 strikeouts. They only had 6 left on base and were 0-3 with runners in scoring position. The Dbacks had 4 hits and struck out 7 times. They left 7 on and were 0-6 with runners in scoring position. There were no errors in this game.

220 comments at the time of me writing this, though it perhaps should be noted it’s about half an hour after the game ended. I ended up having a couple of issues with the internet and had to watch on my phone for parts of the game. I couldn’t decide on which I wanted to award the COTN to, so since they touch on similar themes I am awarding it to nailgail and the exchange between Dan and Kiln.