1nutlftThe Arizona Diamondbacks Opening Day had plenty of ups and downs, but the Snakes were able to notch win #1 for manager Torey Lovullo with a 6-5 win over the San Francisco Giants.
Walk. It. Off.
The Diamondbacks had 5% chance to win with 2 outs and no one on in the bottom of the 9th, according to @EliasSports win probability model.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 2, 2017
The Diamondbacks’ chances of winning Game 1 of 162 were pretty slim when the ninth inning got started. But the story of Opening Day 2017 couldn’t have had a better ending. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, shortstop Chris Owings stepped into the box with runners on the corners. A bloop single to right brought home the winning run and the 6-5 win for the Diamondbacks.
“It’s cool to get a win no matter what, but Opening Day is special,” Owings said.
The shortstop spoke postgame about the importance of the Diamondbacks having a healthy 2017 and how he is willing to play wherever Torey Lovullo asks him to if it helps the team win.
Pollock is Back
After missing most of the 2016 season due to injury, A.J. Pollock made quite a return on Opening Day. The center fielder tied the game up at three in the sixth inning with a two-run bomb to left. Then, in the top of the ninth had a clutch play in center that resulted in a crucial out for the D-Backs.
Looking back at the last year, Pollock is grateful to be where he’s at to start this season.
“At this time last year, we were talking about the details of surgery,” Pollock said. “I took a couple moments to really just rehash my last year and the people that put so much hard work in to getting me where I’m at today. It’s pretty awesome.”
A.J. Pollock is back to crush baseballs. #DbacksOpeningDay pic.twitter.com/pxrYEXhXgb
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 2, 2017
Greinke Settling In
Zack Greinke went five innings giving up two runs on four hits, including a bomb from Giants’ pitcher Madison Bumgarner, with two walks and four strikeouts. Greinke finished his outing with 92 total pitches, 55 strikes.
“I thought Zack grinded through his outing,” Lovullo said. “I think he was in a little bit of a fist fight, but when you look up and he’s given up only a couple of runs over five innings, I consider that a really positive outing.”
Zack Greinke heads out to get ready for his 3rd #OpeningDay start. #OurSeason pic.twitter.com/6dfHW2H3Bq
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 2, 2017
Lamb & Lefties
Jake Lamb didn’t have the Opening Day he was hoping for on Sunday. The third baseman went 0-4 with three strikeouts. In the eighth, after the Diamondbacks tied things back up at four, with Lamb stepping up to the plate, the Giants brought in left-hander Ty Blach, a situation Lovullo said during spring training that he is trying to avoid. Lovullo said he is planning on sandwiching Lamb between two right-handed hitters to avoid Lamb being put up against a lefty.
A Day to Remember
Sunday was Diamondbacks’ manager Torey Lovullo‘s first game as a major league manager. And the day couldn’t have been written better, Lovullo said.
“It was emotional,” Lovullo said. “It could have been scripted any better for me. To have the ups and downs of the moment, to finish on such an incredibly high note, I don’t know if I’m going to come down for the rest of the day.”
Congratulations to Torey Lovullo on his 1st career win as #Dbacks manager! Might be hard to top that one. 😁 #OurSeason pic.twitter.com/y7YzTxSbq0
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 3, 2017
