Diamondbacks 3, Guardians 1: And, so: it ends

Mar 28, 2023 - 10:10 PM

Final record: 16-14-2.

Ryne Nelson allowed one run over 5.2 innings of work, and the offense did just enough to win the last pre-season game for the Arizona Diamondbacks. It’s the most wins they’ve had in spring since going 24-8 in 2016. Which kinda proves how meaningless a good spring record is, doesn’t in? Anyway, Nelson looked good in his final outing, holding the Guardians to four hits and no walks and five strikeouts. Five relievers, including former rotation rival Drey Jameson, allowed only one hit thereafter, with Justin Martinez and Christian Montes De Oca each striking out a pair in their inning of work. All told, Arizona faced 32 batters and walked none of them, striking out nine.

The Diamondbacks got on the board in the second when Geraldo Perdomo drew a bases loaded walk, but arguably should have done more to take advantage of Cal Quantril’s struggle with control. He walked four batters in 4.2 innings and hit Gabriel Moreno and Alek Thomas back-to-back in the second: fortunately, both appear to be fine. But the D-backs only had two at-bats with runners in scoring position, and went hitless there. The other two runs came on sacrifice flies in the seventh, by Perdomo and Cristofer Torin. Corbin Carroll drew a pair of walks for Arizona.

A swift two hours and twelve minute contest, with everyone apparently having somewhere else to be. For the Diamondbacks, that would be Los Angeles, where they start the 2023 regular season on Thursday, with a first pitch at 7:10 pm Arizona time. But stay tuned between now and then for formal roster announcements, win predictions and a pre-season confidence poll to come!