Diamondbacks Home Finale Spoiled by Giants 3-2

The bullpen can't make a 1-0 lead hold up, taking MLB worst 39th loss in the process

© Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

The Giants defeated the Diamondbacks 3-2 at Chase Field Sunday afternoon in the final home game of the year for Arizona, whose bullpen absorbed its MLB worst 39th loss of the year. That's two behind the franchise worst 41 set in 2021. The record for relief losses was set by the Washington Nationals with 42, also in 2021.

Drey Jameson got through 5.1 scoreless innings despite not having his best stuff today. His velocity was down one to two miles per hour and he was not as sharp with his breaking stuff as his previous outing. Jameson acknowledged as much after the game. 

"I didn't have my best stuff. But the goal after I found out that I didn't have all my stuff today was to out do the opposing pitcher and give us a chance to win the game." 

He walked three batters and gave up five hits. He came out of the game in the top of the sixth with runners on first and third. Kevin Ginkel came in and induced a double play on the first pitch to get out of the jam and preserve Jameson's pitching line. 

Jameson was in line for the win thanks to Pavin Smith's RBI double in the fifth, scoring Sergio Alcántara all the way from first base. But holding a one run lead turn out to be too much of a challenge for the D-backs pen as Torey Lovullo lamented in his post game press conference.  

The Giants continued to get baserunners on and eventually it caught up the Diamondbacks. Ginkel loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh but Luis Frias came in and got a lineout on a 105 MPH bullet to Alcántara at shortstop to escape that jam. There would be no escape in the 8th. Frias loaded the bases himself, allowing a single and walking two batters before being relieved by Reyes Moronta. Evan Longoria came in to pinch hit and laced a single to left scoring two runs and putting the Giants in front. 

Mark Melancon gave up a home run to Davis in the 9th for the Giants third run which proved to be the winning margin. Davis had a four-hit game with a single and two doubles in addition to the homer.

The D-backs still had a chances to win the game. In their half of the eighth inning Alek Thomas came up with two outs and runners on second and third. But he grounded out to the right side ending the inning, as he's done so often the last several months.

Christian Walker doubled to lead off the ninth against Giants closer Camilo Doval. He later come home on a Smith sacrifice fly to move the D-backs to within one. Smith drove in both D-back runs today and just missed a game tying home run on the sac fly. It wasn't enough as Doval's 100 mile per hour heat was too much this day for Corbin Carroll, who struck out to end the game. 

Giants manager Gabe Kapler employed an opener strategy going with reliever Scott Alexander to begin the game for one inning and then Jarlin Garcia for 1.2 innings. He then turned it over to starter Jakob Junis with two outs in the third inning. Junis pitched 5.1 innings, giving up just one run on four hits and struck out seven, picking up his fifth win against six losses. Doval got his 26th save. Moronta took the loss and is 1-1. 

The Diamondbacks will conclude their season with an eight game road trip that begins Tuesday night in Houston against the Astros. Game time is 5:10 P.M. MST.  Zach Davies (2-4, 4.03 ERA) will start for Arizona while Lance McCullers Jr. (4-1, 2.38 ERA) goes for Houston.