Gurriel's Walk-Off Rewards Stellar Pitching in Series Win

Arizona's pitching delivered one of its best games of the year to set the stage for Gurriel's ninth inning heroics.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the first against Logan Webb. Gurriel bounced into a 5-4-3 double play, which allowed Webb to escape the first inning. However another opportunity arose in the ninth and he would not miss. Facing side-arming right-hander Tyler Rogers, Gurriel connected on a slider and lined a double into the left field corner for a 2-1 walk-off win over the San Francisco Giants. The double capped off a strong homestand for the D-backs left fielder, who was 12-for-28 with four doubles, three home runs, and seven RBI. 

Gurriel plays the role of hero after a masterful pitching performance by the bullpen. pic.twitter.com/MRye8aGuns

— Michael McDermott (@MichaelMcD8393) May 14, 2023

It was a game where the D-backs faced the challenge of going against the opposing team's ace at the top of his game. Webb went seven strong innings, holding the D-backs to one run on three hits, three walks, three strikeouts, and 10 ground ball outs. He took a no-hitter into the fifth inning. At times earlier this season, the team had struggled to win low-scoring games like this.

D-backs manager Torey Lovullo spoke about the importance of a win like this. "To go where we're going, we got to beat guys like that, we got to win games like that. As you push it forward, you're starting to play really meaningful games late, you're going to see some really good arms and good pitching. I just want our guys to train for the opposing team's best effort, no matter what it is. To go where we're getting to, we got to find a way to beat No. 1 and 2s, and we did a good job of that today."

The walk-off win would not have been possible without a strong pitching effort from both Brandon Pfaadt and the bullpen. Pfaadt fared much better today than his previous two starts, holding the Giants to one run on one hit, three walks, and five strikeouts in five innings. He labored through a 35-pitch fourth inning, after cruising through the first three innings. Overall it was a big step in the right direction for the D-backs top-ranked pitching prospect.

D-backs pitching coach Brent Strom believes Pfaadt will develop into a very good starting pitcher in the future. "I just love the way his poise is" said Strom. "He doesn't get too high, doesn't get too low, there's a calmness about him. He's very confident in his ability. I was super pleased with the way he went about it. I thought the first inning was important, he set the tone in the first inning. He had the one really rough inning, the 30+ pitch inning, but really proud of him".

Arizona's relievers pitched four scoreless innings with no walks and seven strikeouts on the day. A key moment came in the sixth, after the D-backs tied the game in the previous inning, when Thairo Estrada led off the inning with a double against José Ruiz and advanced to third on a soft ground ball to the mound. Ruiz worked a full count against J.D. Davis, a career .366 hitter against the D-backs, and struck him out on a curveball before escaping the inning with a flyout to center. That set the tone for the day, as the bullpen would strike out six of the final 10 hitters faced.

Heading into that final at-bat, Lovullo elected to not bring in a pinch runner for Christian Walker. It ultimately worked out, as Walker was able to score without a throw. That might not have been a surprise to some, as the D-backs first baseman is fourth in the National League in percentage of extra bases taken at 70%.

"He's got great instincts," said Lovullo. "He makes up for not being as fast as someone like Alek Thomas by having good instincts."

With a big series win, the D-backs are now 12-9 against the National League West through the first quarter of the season. They begin a nine-game road trip, starting in Oakland for three. Merrill Kelly will take the mound, facing Drew Rucinski. First pitch will be at 7:07 PM MST.