The Diamondbacks defeated the Atlanta Braves 1-0 at Chase Field to salvage a series split and get back to .500. Brandon Pfaadt and Max Fried were both terrific for six innings, with the difference being a Eugenio Suárez home run in the fifth.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“That a D-back type of win,” said Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo in the postgame coverage on Dbacks TV. “That’s what we believe in, that’s what we talk about, and when you go out there and do it, it’s very powerful.”
Pfaadt had it going from the get-go, retiring the first 11 Braves he faced. He finished with just three hits, no walks, and four strikeouts in his six innings. It marked the 14th time this season the right-hander completed six innings, his goal for every start. With the pitching staff struggling to stay healthy, he’s been a steady and reliable presence every fifth day.
“Brandon was attacking the zone,” said Lovullo. “The sweeper looked like it was swing-and-miss, the fastball command was outstanding.”
The Diamondbacks got some early traffic against Fried, but the veteran left-hander made some big pitches to keep Arizona off the scoreboard for the first four innings. Christian Walker grounded into a double play to end the first then retired nine straight hitters following a leadoff single in the second.
Suárez finally got to him in the fifth, driving a changeup up and out over the plate out beyond the home run porch to the left of straightaway center field. It marked the first time Fried allowed a home run on his changeup since April 26, 2022.
Geno’s hot stretch in July continues with a long bomb off Max Fried. First hitter to homer off Fried’s changeup since 2022. pic.twitter.com/0fTv09tpCS
— Burn City D-backs Talk????️ (@BurnCityDbacks) July 12, 2024
That blast served as the only run for the night. In a close ball game, especially against a quality team holding a Wild Card spot, the Diamondbacks were going to have to execute on the mound and in the field. They did just that, making a big play in each of the final three innings to seal the victory.
In the sixth inning, Lovullo felt that Pfaadt’s stuff was loosening up and turned it over to the backend of the bullpen to close it out.
Kevin Ginkel surrendered a leadoff double, but got out of the inning with no damage with the help of a high IQ defensive play from second baseman Kevin Newman. Matt Olson hit a one-hop ground ball, with Newman faking a toss to second to freeze Austin Riley and prevent him from advancing to third. A strikeout and a groundout closed out the inning.
Ryan Thompson then faced the bottom of the order in the eighth. Eddie Rosario’s line drive was snared by Christian Walker, who leaped to take away a surefire extra-base hit, possibly a triple. Sean Murphy drove out a ball to deep left center, run down in the gap by Jake McCarthy one step shy of the wall. After a couple of walks turned the lineup over, Thompson retired Ozzie Albies on a high-hopper to first to escape the inning.
That set the stage for Paul Sewald to try to convert his second straight save opportunity in as many days. It was going to be a hard-earned save, facing the three big boppers in the middle of the Braves lineup. Sewald struck out Riley on a fastball up and in to begin the inning. Olson took a fastball up in the zone and lifted a high fly ball to left field, chasing McCarthy back to the wall before making a leaping snare to rob a potential home run. After a Marcell Ozuna single, Sewald got Adam Duvall to roll over to third to end the game.
Paul Sewald gets the save, with some help with a home run robbery by Jake McCarthy. pic.twitter.com/cDzIbbtsRr
— Burn City D-backs Talk????️ (@BurnCityDbacks) July 12, 2024
Confidence should be high for the Diamondbacks, going 6-4 in a tough three-series stretch against the Dodgers, Padres, and Braves. They take on a dangerous Toronto Blue Jays team that hasn’t had a great season in 2024. However, as the series before the All-Star break, it can serve as a trap series if Arizona doesn’t take it seriously. Right-hander Ryne Nelson (6-6, 5.08 ERA) will square off against right-hander Yariel Rodriguez (1-3, 3.68 ERA), with first pitch at Chase Field at 6:40 P.M. MST.
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Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
