D-backs Routed 11-0 as Their Playoff Hopes Dim

The Diamondbacks quiet night at the plate coupled with a poor outing from Brandon Pfaadt damaged their playoff hopes

Sep 24, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (7) slides into second base in front of San Francisco Giants shortstop Brett Wisely (0) in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The Arizona Diamondbacks are in a race for the playoffs but on NASCAR night, their car stalled out while the San Francisco Giants lapped them by multiple laps before losing 11-0 with their playoff hopes dimming.

While the D-backs are in the playoff chase, one wouldn't realize that from the crowd size as it was sparse despite an announced crowd size of 22,355, the stadium was far emptier. Once Brandon Pfaadt began struggling in the second inning, the stadium grew quiet.

In eerily fashion, one could hear people coughing or sneezing as the Giants scored seven runs over the second and third innings amidst a smattering of the few Giants fans cheers. The roaming vendor shouting out Topo Chicos and margaritas for sale stuck in one's mind.

Diamondbacks Manager Torey Lovullo said, "I don't think there was much positive to be had in this game today...We got to play better baseball. We got to play more focused baseball...It all builds off of pitching."

When asked why they are struggling as a team, Lovullo said. "That's a good question, If I knew, I'd throw some fairy dust on it and make it get better tomorrow, I don't know. It's my job to figure it out. I'm trying. I go to bed trying, I wake up trying."

When he was asked if he's given the team the "riot act", Lovullo responded with, "That's a good question, I probably just did so that'd be my answer, maybe. I don't have any more to say about it, I'm frustrated today."

Pfaadt struggled through 2.2 innings as he missed down the heart of the plate multiple times to give up two homers and six hits along with four runs and two walks. Pfaadt struck out four but did not have his fastball on command.

Similar to his last start at Chase Field against Milwaukee, Pfaadt failed to induce much weak contact with the smacks of the ball against the barrel of the bat echoing across the stadium each time the Giants made contact.

While down just 4-0 in the third inning, with Blake Walston pitching, he allowed two runners to reach base. A ground ball by Grant McCray to Geraldo Perdomo resulted in an error after Perdomo failed to field the ball cleanly to put two on.

The very next batter, Brett Wisely put the game away as he launched a missile to the left field bleachers that scored three runs and put the Giants up 7-0.

In total, Walston pitched 2.1 innings and gave up five runs, but just three earned runs. He, akin to Pfaadt, struggled to avoid bats and left far too many pitches in the zone. The Giants were robotic and did not miss any mistake pitches, instead crushing them for base hits and laying off any close pitches for a walk.

Two days after throwing 35 pitches, Yilber Diaz was thrust into action and forced to throw another 43 pitches in order to save the bullpen and keep the top arms rested for the final four games of the season. For that he was the hero of the game.

Diaz pitched 2.2 innings and allowed three hits and a run but continued to get outs to save the bullpen.

Meanwhile, the offense tried their best against a tough pitcher in Logan Webb. Webb shut them down for six innings similar to what he did on April 18th when he pitched seven scoreless innings. They made contact as Webb only struck out three batters.

Their best shot was in the first inning when Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte reached base to start the inning. However, Joc Pederson would ground into a double play while Walker grounded out to end the frame.

That would be the only time the D-backs had a runner on third base against Webb, but they tried hard. They had multiple lengthy at-bats and in the end, a good pitcher out-dueled a good offense. It just was unfortunate that the pitching staff was unable to keep it to a close game so Arizona could work against the Giants' bullpen.

There is just four games left in the 2024 season. The Atlanta Braves won Tuesday evening and are just 0.5 games back of the Diamondbacks for the third NL Wild Card spot. The season is on the brink of collapse.

The Arizona Diamondbacks will look to ace Zac Gallen to stop the three-game losing skid and get them a badly needed win against Mason Black with first pitch at 12:40 p.m. It's up to Gallen and company to keep the breath and life inside Chase Field alive into October.