Looking back at some memorable Game #162’s in franchise history.
If history is any guide, the D-backs should have a good chance at winning this afternoon’s game #162 in Milwaukee, as the team has win six of the last seven season finales (including 2020, which obviously wasn’t a #162!). However, five of the six victories were at home. As noted at the start of the series, that has been more common than not, with the D-backs having ended in Phoenix 17 times; today will be the eighth road finish. Most of the recent game #162’s have been highly competitive. Seven of the last nine were decided by one run, including walk-off wins with two outs in the ninth, in both 2019 and 2021, and a walk-off loss in 2018. Let’s look at some of the memorable games:
- 1998: Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Andy Benes tossed seven shutout innings and left with a 1-0 lead. But Aaron Small allowed a tying home-run to the first batter faced, as the Padres scored three in the eighth, and held on for a 3-2 win.
- 2001: The last time Arizona finished the year in Milwaukee did not go well. A 15-5 drubbing, though the D-backs lifted all but two starters by the end of the game. Eric Knott made his only start, allowing eight runs in the fourth – all unearned! Luis Gonzalez did hit HR #57.
- 2002: Chad Moeller went 4-for-4 with two home-runs and a double, driving in six runs in a wild 11-8 win over the Rockies. Arizona were eight runs up after seven, but had to withstand a late Colorado comeback as they got the tying run on deck with one in the ninth.
- 2008: Randy Johnson’s final game as a Diamondback. He allowed an unearned run in the first, but allowed only two hits and a walk the rest of the way. Arizona tied it up on a Chris Young homer in the eighth, then added a bases-loaded walkoff walk in the ninth. The Game Score of 89 is the highest by a pitcher RJ’s age in the past seventy years.
- 2017: The D-backs scored in their last six trips to the plate, blasting the Royals for 16 hits and 8 walks in a 14-2 mauling. Ildemaro Vargas had three hits and four RBI, despite not batting until the fifth, and Gregor Blanco had three hits, two walks and three stolen bases.
- 2019: Not often you see both starters gone after two innings in a game that ends 1-0. Taijuan Walker returned for a token inning start – however, it proved to be his final outing for us. The bullpen then tossed eight scoreless frames before a Tim Locastro infield hit walked Arizona off.