The Arizona Diamondbacks secured a narrow 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies, managing to preserve their integrity rather than racking up a decisive win. This outing, played on Sunday, May 18, demonstrated the team’s ongoing struggle to find consistent performance amidst a season fraught with ups and downs.
Starter Merrill Kelly was the standout performer, achieving seven stellar innings with only one hit allowed and striking out 11 batters. His success is a continuation of an impressive eight-start stretch, now featuring a 2.02 ERA across 49 innings, with only eight walks and 49 strikeouts. Despite his dominance, Kelly expressed a mix of satisfaction and concern over his performance, noting that falling behind in counts could have led to greater trouble.
The game’s only run came from a solo home run by Ketel Marte in the first inning. This marked Marte’s sixth home run of the season in just a short span, a welcome offensive display for the team. In the tense ninth inning, Shelby Miller managed to navigate a bases-loaded situation, ultimately sealing the win and earning his sixth save.
This win followed a difficult 14-12 loss to the Rockies, marking the first time in franchise history that the Diamondbacks lost a game in which they scored 12 or more runs, ending their streak of 151 such games without a loss. Manager Torey Lovullo noted the team showed resilience, overcoming a challenging situation that began in the previous game.
As the Diamondbacks headed to Los Angeles for a three-game series against the Dodgers, their record stands at a respectable 25-22. While this is not the start the team had envisioned after a significant payroll investment of around $200 million, it leaves room for improvement with over 100 games remaining in the season. Kelly remains optimistic that as the team finds its rhythm, they will begin to string together more consistent victories.
The upcoming matchups against the Dodgers will be critical as the Diamondbacks look to capitalize on this win and work towards finding their stride. This could be an opportunity for the team to build momentum and secure a strong position in the standings.