Zach Davies Strong Outing Spoiled by Blown Save

Thanks to a great bounceback outing from Zach Davies the D-backs went into the ninth inning holding a 2-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Rays.  Scott McGough was not able to close out the game however, giving up four hits, including a go ahead two-run double to Josh Lowe in a 3-2 loss. 

It was a crushing loss, spoiling a terrific outing by Davies.  Coming into tonight's game it looked like his season was on the precipice of disaster. Three straight starts in which he surrendered 18 runs in 10.2 innings driving his season ERA to 7.82 and record to 1-4.  After his previous outing last Friday night in San Francisco pitching coach Brent Strom did not mince words. Davies needed to be aggressive, use his four seam fastball more, pitch inside, and stop running away from contact.  

Davies responded to that challenge tonight by throwing two-hit baseball for seven scoreless innings. He walked just two batters and struck out three.  Davies threw his four seam fastball more than any other pitch, 27 times, but also utilized all five of his pitches, inducing soft contact and kept the hard hitting Rays off balance all game. Of the 19 balls put into play, seven of them had an exit velocity under 75 MPH.

Davies needed to be that good just to keep his team in the game. Rays starter Zach Eflin nearly matched him, throwing seven innings and giving up just two runs. Three straight two-out singles by Alek Thomas, Jake McCarthy, and finally Ketel Marte produced the D-backs first run in the bottom of the third.  In the fourth inning  Christian Walker led off with a  ground rule double that bounced into the pool in right center, extending his hitting streak to a career high 12 games.  Two outs later Carson Kelly lined a base hit into right center for the two-out RBI. 

The D-backs might have scored more runs with just a little more luck. They had eight hits in all but went just 2-10 with runners in scoring position. The Rays played solid defense, keeping the game close and giving them a chance to come back. Jose Siri made a great diving play to rob Jake McCarthy of an RBI base hit in the 7th that would have provided an important insurance run. 

With closer Pete Fairbanks on the mound  in the bottom of the 9th Wander Franco made a great diving stop up the middle on Emmanuel Rivera for the first out. Geraldo Perdomo pinch hit for Carson Kelly and drew a one out walk. Pavin Smith came up to hit for Nick Ahmed, but  struck out looking on an 0-2 pitch that was well below the zone.  Alek Thomas was the last man standing, and he lined out to third to end the game. 

This was a well pitched game on both sides until the top of the 9th.  McGough had not allowed an earned run since May 12th prior to tonight and had taken over the closers role. But his record fell to 0-6 with the loss in this game. He was direct in what the problem was. "They hit the ball well, I didn't throw enough strikes. And when I did I had to get too fat because I was throwing too many balls early on. You can't do that to a good hitting team."

Torey Lovullo discussed tonight's loss, highlighting the nature of baseball