Cubs 8, Dbacks 4
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This is my first guest recap on this new (well, since last summer) format. Let’s see how this goes, a bit different than how I usually do things. Today it will be Merrill Kelly against Matt Boyd. One March 30th of last year, he went 5 innings and did not give up a run, but surrendered 4 hits and 3 walks against us. The Cubs bullpen then imploded. https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ARI/ARI202503300.shtml Before that, he had been in the AL all of his career. I was surprised he debuted in 2015 when I looked. I guess it’s obvious which “League” I pay attention to.
The last few years I would have had confidence that Kelly would rise up and be the stopper, as it seems he has been so often for us. Today, I am not sure. Let’s see how this plays out. First pitch at 11:20 and per Snake Bitten in the GDT, “The wind is blowing out today towards right center, at 21 mph, and it’s gusting to 33 mph. It’s 55 degrees, with a humidity of 54%, and a chance of rain.”
I’ll be honest, I haven’t been able to watch any of the previous two games. For my lunchtime roll call, I am having brats with Don Franscisco buns, peanuts and Pringles with Coors. Might have some chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream later.
First inning
The first offering to Marte from Boyd is popped up out of play, he would strike out on a 2-2 count. Perdomo next, bunts, but it rolls foul 3b side. He eventually popped up to Carson Kelly behind the plate. Corbin struck out to end it.
Merrill Kelly against Nico Hoerner to lead things off for the Cubs. He few out to Barrosa, the wind may have aided the distance of the fly ball, this should be fun. Ballesteros, the Cubs DH, singled in front of Gurriel in LF. Alex Bregman hits a ball that short hopped Perdomo a bit, but he recovered and was able to make a 6-4-3 double play to end the frame.
Second inning
Vargas leads things off and pops up the first pitch pretty much straight up and Carson Kelly gets it for the first out. Arenado on a pitch right down the plate doubles between LF and CF. Gurriel struck out. Gabriel Moreno takes a pitch up and away and sends it into the Wrigley Field bleachers! 2-0, Dbacks. Exit velocity 105 and distance is 427 feet. Probably wind aided. That was Moreno’s first home run of the year. Fernandez taps out to the pitcher, Boyd for a 1-3.
Let’s see how Kelly and the defense responds. Braodcast saying Kelly throws the changeup about 29% of the time, and he hasn’t had a feel for it this year. He strikes out Happ for the first out. Kelly is throwing pretty much all of his pitches and is looking good. Suzuki strikes out on a 94 mph fastball low and away. Busch pops up to shallow CF, too far for Perdomo and it bounces away from Barrosa, and Busch goes to 2B. Yet another probable wind aided thing this afternoon. It would probably have dropped either way, but still. Carson Kelly singles past a diving Marte into CF-RF, 2-1 Dbacks. PCA doubles to CF, Carson to 3B. It started well at least. Swanson, 0-2 swung at the first 2 that would have been balls low and away Merrill comes inside for a ball and Swanson strikes out on the next offering which was pretty much where the first two pitches were.
Third inning
Barrosa popped up to CF. So does Marte. Perdomo shows bunt on the first pitch like last time, then smacks the ball down the LF line for a double. They said it was 99 mph off the bat. Corbin Carroll hit a ground ball to Hoerner at 2B for the final out of the frame.
Hoerner leads off their half inning, ground to Perdomo on the outfield grass, jump throw and not in time to get him. Ballesteros hits the 2nd pitch he sees, and Kelly’s 40th, into the LF bleachers. It is now 3 to 2 Cubs. Happ, full count, flies out to Barrosa in CF. Suzuki lines the first pitch he sees past Arenado for a single. First pitch to Busch is away, Moreno held on to it for a bit like he wanted a call, but apparently not worth challenging. Busch with a 3-1 count now, and walks. Full count to Carson Kelly, with 2 runners on, hits a shot to Arenado for the final out. Merrill Kelly is at 63 pitches, after an 8 pitch first inning.
Fourth inning
Vargas leads things off by flying out to PCA. Arenado strikes out, Boyd’s 4th. Gurriel dumps a 2 out single to RF, that offering was Boyd’s 63rd pitch. Moreno grounds out to 2B to end it.
PCA leads things off by hitting a long fly ball to RF, but goes foul and then flies out to RF. Swanson lined out to Perdomo. Hoerner grounded out to 3B. Kelly only needed 6 pitches to get out of that inning.
Fifth inning
Fernandez struck out. Barrosa showed bunt, eventually lined out to LF. Marte grounds out to Swanson.
Ballesteros draws a full count and then walks. Bregman grounds it to Arenado, a bit behind the 3B bag and Arenado tries to get Ballesteros but he is safe. Two on and nobody out. Ryan Thompson has begun to loosen in the bullpen. Happ on a 2-2 pitch takes a pitch away for a called strike 3, immediately challenges. Not even close, call overturned, no idea what Doug Eddings saw. missed by about 3 inches. Happ walks on the next pitch to load the bases. Suzuki on a 0-2 pitch takes a pitch on the outside corner for a strike out, he challenges. This time the call is upheld. The bases are loaded with 1 out. Busch hits the first thing he sees, a 91 mph fastball right down the middle, to RF for a bases clearing triple. This inning wasn’t wind aided. That will chase Kelly, but at his pitch count it was inevitable anyway, Thompson now in the ballgame. Candiotti talking about how he sees some good signs from Kelly. Carson Kelly grounded out to Thompson and then PCA grounded out to Marte to end it. Thompson needed 4 pitches. The score is now 6-2 Cubs.
Sixth inning
The Dbacks have not been swept by the Subs since the 2015 season. Perdomo grounds out to Swanson. Corbin Carroll draws a walk, Boyd’s first of the afternoon. Vargas pops up to Hoerner, who started by the 2B bag but had to run a bit to catch it, he then doubles off Corbin at 1B. “That play encapsulates our road trip pretty well”- 1AZfan1
Brandon Pfaadt is now in the game for the Dbacks. Swanson full count, he walks. Hoerner pops up to Marte, as he throws the bat angrily. Bad bat, bad! The Cubs have a 4 run lead and Hoerner himself has a hit and run scored. Ballesteros hits a chopper past Pfaadt, Perdomo plays it but his only play is to 1B. Bregman popped it up to Vargas at 1B to end it.
Seventh inning
Phil Maton now on to pitch for the Cubs. Arenado grounds out to Busch at 1B, who tosses it to the pitcher covering for the first out. Gurriel singled to LF. Moreno hits one to deep right, caught on the warning track with soe difficulty by Suzuki. That definitely was wind aided. Fernandez hit by pitch on a 0-2 count. Barrosa takes a 3-2 pitch up, rung up, but immediately challenges. It’s over rulled and so he walks. Bases loaded for Marte. He struck out on 3 pitches.
Pfaadt still in the game. Happ walked. Suzuki doubled to LF. Busch flies out to Corbin, both runners advance and it is now 7-2 Cubs. Carson Kelly hits a ground ball past Perdomo for a single, Suzuki scores. PCS hitd s line out to Perdomo for the 2nd out. Swanson then grounded out to Perdomo.
Eighth inning
Hoby Miller in the game now for the Cubs. Perdomo grounds a 3-1 pitch to Hoerner at 2B for the first out. Corbin Carroll hits a tapper to the mound for the second out. Vargas singles past a diving Alex Bregman. Arenado hit a line drive right at Hoerner for the final out.
Pfaadt, still in there to start the inning. Hoerner splits Barrosa and Carroll in CF-RF for a double to lead things off. Ballesteros strikes out on a foul tip. Full count to Bregman, he walks, third walk issued by Pfaadt. Happ shattered his bat, Marte plays it almost on the outfield grass and tosses it to Perdomo can’t get Bregman. Everyone is safe. Sewald on to pitch, bases loaded, one out. Suzuki strikes out on 3 pitches. Busch, sees a pitch that almost got thrown to the backstop. Moreno looked like a short stop. Couple pitches later Moreno takes a pitch off his mask. Busch ends up striking out looking.
Ninth inning
The Dbacks game out ahead 2-0, and currently trail 8-2. Corbin Martin, former Dback patient, now on to pitch. First two pitches to Gurriel not even close. Overthrew the catcher to the back stop. Gurriel walks. Moreno pops up to foul territory on the 1B side, Bush goes after it and jumps over the tarp and of course can’t get it. Moreno strikes out on a pitch that would have been a ball. Fernandez pops it up for the 2nd out to 1B. Del CAstillo will bat for Barrosa. Gurriel takes 2B on a defensive indifference. Full count to ADC, he homers to straightaway CF. The wind blew that, but at least if wet something exciting at the end. Marte struck out to end it. Corbin Martin threw 26 pitches, 14 were strikes, unless I am reading this incorrectly.
Time of the ballgame 2 hours and 45 minutes, 35000+ at Wrigley. The Dbacks were 2-5 with RISP and left 6 on and had 4 runs on 7 hits. The Cubs were 4-13 RISP and left 10 on and had 8 runs on 12 hits.
Decent game day thread, 176 comments as of right now. Tied for most reccs was a comment I made, so I am awarding COTN to 2 people.
The Dbacks have an off day tomorrow and will be back at Chase Field to play the Pirates at 6:40pm. The preview person for that series will be DBE. Next Sunday’s guest recapper will be TheRealRamona against the Mets. Have a good afternoon.