ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS NOTES:
HERE’S THE STORY
♦ The D-backs are tied for first place in the NL West with the Dodgers, 0.5 game ahead of the Padres, and have been in or tied for first place since April 8.
♦ The D-backs are 7-5 in their last 12 games vs. Marlins, since May 10, 2021, including a 3-2 road record.
♦ Zac Gallen, in his last start, tossed 7.0 shutout innings (3 H, 1 BB, 11 K) in a 3-0 win vs. Brewers on April 10.
♦ Nick Ahmed has hit safely in 7 of 9 games overall at a .367 clip (11-for-30)/.800 OPS with 2 doubles, 4 RBI and 3 stolen bases… had a 7-game hitting streak from April 1-14 (.455, 10-for-22/.955 OPS).
♦ Josh Rojas has hit safely in 8 of his last 9 games at a .471 clip (16-for-34)/1.131 OPS with 5 doubles, 6 RBI, 4 walks and 2 stolen bases.
♦ Geraldo Perdomo, in 8 starts, is hitting .429 (9-for21)/1.270 OPS with 3 doubles, 1 homer, 8 RBI, 5 walks and 1 stolen base.
BROADCAST UPDATES
♦ A trio of upcoming D-backs broadcasts have been moved due to the Suns NBA Playoff schedule with the telecasts moving to Bally Sports Arizona Extra and the radio broadcasts shifting to ESPN Phoenix 620 AM…the games are:
• Tuesday, April 18 @ Cardinals – 4:45 p.m.
• Thursday, April 20 vs. Padres – 6:40 p.m.
• Saturday, April 22 vs. Padres – 5:10 p.m.
PERFECT OUTTA THE ‘PEN
♦ Andrew Chafi n has not allowed a run in his 7 outings (6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 8 K) and is 1 of 12 relievers in the Majors with 6-or-more scoreless outings:
Jesse Chavez/ATL (8), Colin Holderman/PIT (7), David Robertson/NYM (7),
Tyler Rogers/SF (7), Dylan Floro/MIA (6), Mark Leiter Jr./CHI (6), Phil Maton/
HOU (6), Shelby Miller/LAD (6), Wandy Peralta/NYY (6), Gabe Speier/SEA (6) and Peter Strzelecki/MIL (6).
ABOUT THE OFFENSE
♦ Among all teams since April 7, the D-backs are first with a .288 average, second with a .453 SLG, fourth with 79 hits, fifth with a .787 OPS and 29 extra-base hits and tied for eighth with 43 runs.
♦ This season, the D-backs’ 31 doubles are fourth in the Majors behind the White Sox (38), Phillies (36), Mariners (34).
♦ The D-backs’ 18 stolen bases are tied for third in the Majors with the Pirates behind the Guardians (24) and Orioles (22).
RUNS BEING SAVED
♦ The D-backs’ 11 Defensive Runs Saved are second in the Majors, behind the Brewers (17) and ahead of the Blue Jays (10), Twins (9), Mets (9) and Mariners (8).
♦ Gabriel Moreno’s 4 defensive runs saved are tied for the most among catchers with Christian Vazquez/MIN, Connor Wong/BOS and William Contreras/MIL.
♦ Jake McCarthy’s 2 defensive runs saved are tied for ninth among outfi elders [min. 75 innings].
RUN AT YOUR OWN RISK
♦ Gabriel Moreno’s 4 caught stealings (CS) are tied for second in the Majors (also: Willson Contreras/STL) behind J.T. Realmuto/PHI (5) while his 66.7 pct. caught stealing pct. (4-of-6) is second to Yan Gomes/CHI (100.0%; 2-of-2) [min. 7 G].
FOR THE TAKING
♦ The D-backs’ 59 pct. extra bases taken percentage leads the Majors, ahead of the Braves (58%), Red Sox (52%), Reds (52%) and Royals (50%).
Percentage runner advanced more than 1 base on single or 2+ bases on a double.
ON DECK: CARDINALS
♦ The D-backs split their 4-game series @ Cardinals last April 28-May 1.
TODAY’S STARTER – #23 RHP ZAC GALLEN
AT A GLANCE: Is in his fourth full season with the D-backs.
• 2022 D-backs Most Valuable Pitcher by the Arizona Chapter of the BBWAA after going 12-4 with a 2.54 ERA.
• Finished fi fth in the NL Cy Young Award voting, behind Sandy Alcantara (MIA), Max Fried (ATL), Julio Urías (LAD) and Aaron Nola (PHI).
• Acquired on July 31, 2019 from the Marlins.
• Cardinals’ third-round pick in the 2016 draft out of the University of North Carolina.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Is making his fourth start of 2023.
• Made fi rst career Opening Day start on March 30…became the 12th diff erent D-backs pitcher in franchise history to start the season opener.
BACK WHERE IT BEGAN: Made his Major League debut with the Marlins on June 20, 2019 @ Cardinals (1 ER in 5.0 IP).
• Went 1-3 with a 2.72 ERA in 7 career starts with Marlins.
LAST START: Earned his fi rst win of the season on April 10 vs. Brewers (W; 0 ER in 7.0 IP).
VS. MARLINS: Has made 1 career start vs. Marlins…earned the win on May 2, 2022 @ Marlins Park (2 ER in 6.1 IP).
10+ K COLUMN: His 6 total 10+-strikeout performances are tied with Ian Kennedy (2010-12) for seventh most in franchise history…he is 1 shy of tying Zack Greinke (2016-19) and Dan Haren (2008-10) and still trails Randy Johnson (106), Curt Schilling (38), Robby Ray (23), Brandon Webb
(12) and Patrick Corbin (10).
THE SCORELESS STREAK: Established the D-backs’ all-time record for consecutive scoreless innings (44.1) from Aug. 8-Sept. 11, 2022, surpassing Brandon Webb’s 42.0-inning stretch (July 20-Aug. 17, 2007) and was the longest in the Majors since Zack Greinke’s/LAD 45.2-scoreless frames in 2015.
MIAMI MARLINS NOTES:
MARLINS MINUTE
The Marlins today continue a six-game homestand, their second ‘stand of the year, with the finale of three games vs. Arizona. Will also face San Francisco for three games on this homestand from Monday-Wednesday. Are coming off a 3-3 road trip to New York and Philadelphia, dropping two of three at Citi Field and taking two of three at Citizens Bank Park. Are looking for their fifth straight win at loanDepot park tonight.
• Following this homestand, will travel to Cleveland for three games from Apr. 21 – 23 and on the first of two trips to Atlanta for a four-game set from Apr. 24 – 27.
SATURDAY’S RECAP
Miami solidified the series win with a 3-2 victory over Arizona yesterday. The D-Backs put 1 run on the board in the first inning but LHP Braxton Garrett held them to just that over 5.2 innings with 5 strikeouts in his second start of the season. Miami tied the game on a solo shot by 2B Garrett Hampson, his first as a Marlin. After falling behind in the top of the seventh, DH Avisail Garcia hit a leadoff double and
the Marlins strung together 4 hits to score 2 runs, capitalized by the go-ahead pinch-hit single by INF Luis Arraez. LHP Tanner Scott struck out a batter in a scoreless ninth to get his first save of the year.
HEATING UP
The Marlins have won their last four games dating back to Tuesday’s win over Philadelphia. During the entire 2022 campaign, won four or more consecutive contests five times: 7 games (Apr. 23 – 30), 6 games (June 29 – July 5), and 5 games (June 7 – June 11).
• Are also riding a five-game win streak at home, the longest since June of 2022 when they won six consecutive home games from June 7 – 23. Was the lone streak above three all of last year.
FULL CIRCLE
This current Marlins win streak has been fueled by the starters’ 2.78 ERA (22.3/7 ER) and the bullpen that has allowed just 2 runs in the last 14.1 innings for a 1.28 ERA. Opponents have just 7 hits and 5 walks with 16 strikeouts in the stretch and the offense has outscored opponents 19-9.
TURNING THE TRENDING TIDE
The Marlins are 4-0 in one-run games this season. Miami played 64 games decided by one run in 2022, the most such games in the Majors last season. Miami’s 40 one-run losses were the most in a season in club history, the most since the 1975 Houston Astros (41), and just three shy of the single-season record for one-run losses during the Live Ball Era (since 1920) held by the 1968 White Sox (44).
MORE FROM FOUR
OF Bryan De La Cruz has made 4 starts this season from the cleanup spot in the lineup, going 9×15 (.600) with 1 home run, 6 RBI, 2 walks and 2 strikeouts.
• Has three 3-hit games, tied for fifth-most in MLB along with teammate Garrett Cooper.
SANDY’S BEACH
RHP Sandy Alcantara, who made his fourth consecutive Opening Day start for the Marlins on March 30 vs. the Mets, tossed a complete game shutout vs. Minnesota in his second start of the year on April 2.
• Marked the fourth time in club history that a Marlins pitcher has thrown a complete game shutout in the first six team games of the season and the first since Dontrelle Willis and Josh Beckett in 2005 in games four and six, respectively. Brad Penny threw a complete game shutout in game three of the 2002 season.
• Is the least amount of games by the club before a complete game since Josh Johnson’s CG on April 12, 2009 vs. NYM (Game 6) and marked the first time in MLB a pitcher has thrown a complete game within the first six games of the season since 2020, when the Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks pitched a complete game shutout on Opening Day (credit: Elias).
• His 6 complete games last year led all of MLB and were the most in a single season since Chris Sale’s 6 CG in 2016.
• A win today will tie Tom Koehler (36) for 11th all-time in Marlins franchise history.
CYCLE TIME
2B Luis Arraez on Tuesday in Philadelphia became the first player in Marlins history to hit for the cycle, coming in the 4,700th game in franchise history during the 30th anniversary. Was baseball’s first cycle since St. Louis’ Nolan Arenado last July 1 vs. Philadelphia (with Skip Schumaker serving as Cardinals bench coach). There had been 111 cycles in the Majors since the Marlins franchise began play in 1993.
• Doubled in the first inning, tripled in the sixth inning, homered in the seventh inning and singled in the eighth inning. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, during the Expansion Era, was just the seventh cycle to be completed in the same order, also: Eddie Rosario (9/19/21 w/ATL at SF), Jake Cronenworth (7/16/21 w/SD at WAS), Freddie Freeman (6/15/16 w/ATL vs. CIN), Daryle Ward (5/26/04 w/PIT at STL), Keith Hernandez (7/4/85 w/NYM at ATL) and Mike Phillips (6/25/76 w/ NYM at CHC).
• Is the first player to hit for a cycle in the month of April since Minnesota’s Jorge Polanco on April 5, 2019 at Citizen’s Bank Park, and the 20th to accomplish the feat within his team’s first 12 games of a season.
• Became the sixth Venezuelan-born player to hit for a cycle, joining Eduardo Escobar (6/6/22 w/NYM at SD), Pablo Sandoval (9/15/11 w/SF at COL), Carlos Gonzalez (7/31/10 w/COL vs. CHC), Carlos Guillen (8/1/06 w/DET at TB), and Cesar Tovar (9/19/72 w/MIN vs. TEX).
GOOD FIRST IMPRESSIONS
INF Luis Arraez has 24 hits in his first 14 games of the year (12 starts), with 8 multi-hit games. Is tied the most hits among all Major Leaguers and his .511 batting avg. (24×47) is tops in the Majors among all qualified hitters. His 1.268 OPS is the best mark in the National League and second in MLB behind Toronto’s Matt Chapman’s 1.291 OPS.
• Arraez’s 24 hits are the most for a player in their first 14 gms with the Marlins, ahead of the prev. high of 23 held by Dee Strange-Gordon.
TODAY’S STARTER – #22 Sandy Alcantara
• Sandy Alcantara (Al-CON-ta-ra), 27, finished his historic 2022 season with 32 starts going 14-9 with a 2.28 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 228.2 innings, along with 6 complete games, a 0.98 WHIP, and a .212 opponents’ batting average in 32 starts. He led Major League Baseball in innings pitched and complete games and led all NL pitchers with an 8.1 WAR (Baseball Reference). During Alcantara’s entire life (born Sept. 1995) only two pitchers reached the same statistical totals since the 1996 season: Felix Hernandez, SEA (2010) and Pedro Martinez, MON (1997).
• Alcantara’s fourth career shutout on April 4th marks the fourth time in club history that a Marlins pitcher has thrown a complete game shutout in the first six team games of the regular season (Dontrelle Willis and Josh Beckett, 2005 and Brad Penny, 2002).
• Won Baseball Digest’s MLB Pitcher of the Year Award. Became the second Marlin to win this honor (Dontrelle Willis, 2005). Was named the second annual Juan Marichal Award recipient, an honor given to the league’s best Dominican player.
• His 14 wins were the most by a Marlins pitcher since Jose Urena in 2017 (14-7). The last Marlin to have more wins was Jose Fernandez, who won 16 games in 2016.
• Became the first pitcher since Chris Sale in 2016 to throw 6 CG. Only three pitchers in club history have recorded more CGs in a season – Livan Hernandez (9, 1998), A.J. Burnett (7, 2002) and Dontrelle Willis (7, 2005).
• Posted a 1.64 ERA (121.0 IP/22 ER) in 16 starts at loanDepot park in 2022. Marked the best home ERA by a Marlins starter with at least 15 starts since Jose Fernandez in 2016 and is the fourth-lowest mark in club history (J. Fernandez, 1.19 – 2013; J. Johnson, 1.57, 2010; J. Fernandez, 1.63 – 2016).
