ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS NOTES:
IN THE WEST: The D-backs are third in the NL West (-2.5), behind the Dodgers and Giants…Arizona has spent 66 days in/tied for first place in the division.
ROSTER MOVES: The D-backs recalled LHP Joe Mantiply from Triple-A Reno and placed RHP Zach Davies on the 15-day injured list (lower back infl ammation)
VS. BRAVES: The D-backs are 2-2 vs. Braves this season…since 2019 the D-backs are 6-4 @ Truist Park.
TOUGH SLEDDING: 17 of the D-backs next 20 games are against opponents with a .500 record or better (Braves, Reds, Mariners, Giants, Twins, Dodgers) and a combined win percentage of .541…the only team with a losing record during the upcoming stretch is the Cardinals (.442).
♦ The D-backs’ .506 strength of schedule with 67 regular-season games remaining is seventh in the NL with additional series facing the Rangers, Orioles and Astros.
♦ On this current trip vs. Blue Jays (0-3), Braves (1-0) and Reds, the combined win percentage among the 3 teams is .577.
RUN SUPPORT: The D-backs’ 16 runs scored last night marked the most ever @ Truist Park (previous: 13 on June 3, 2006; W 13-9) and was the seventh time Arizona plated 11+ runs @ Truist Park (last: 11 on May 15, 2010; W, 11-1)…it also tied for the fifth-most runs scored in a game in franchise history and first time with 16+ runs in a game since Aug. 3, 2019 vs. Nationals (18).
♦ The D-backs 16-13 victory last night marked their first win in franchise history when allowing 12+ runs in a game.
♦ It was also the fi rst game in franchise history where both the D-backs and their opponent each scored 13+ runs.
♦ Per Sarah Langs & Elias Sports Bureau last night, 12 teams scored 10+ runs which tied for the second-most on a single day all-time (also: May 30, 1884), behind only July 4, 1894 (13 teams).
THE ANSWER-BACKS: The D-backs’ 25 comeback wins are tied for third most in the NL with the Braves and Marlins (T-6th in MLB), behind the Reds (33) and Giants (26).
D-BACKS AGREE TO TERMS WITH 16 DRAFT PICKS, SIGN 4 NONDRAFTED FREE AGENTS: The D-backs agreed to terms with 16 draft picks from the 2023 Draft and 4 Non-drafted
Free Agents:
♦ Signed July 17: 2B Tommy Troy (Rd. 1), 3B Gino Groover (Rd. 2), CF Jack Hurley (Rd. 3), LHP Grayson Hitt (Rd. 4), 3B Kevin Sim (Rd. 5), LHP Philip Abner (Rd. 6), 1B Jackson Feltner (Rd. 8), RHP Casey Anderson (Rd. 11), RHP Sam Knowlton (Rd. 12), LHP Jake Fitzgibbons (Rd. 14), LHP Rio Britton (Rd. 15), RHP Matthew Linskey (Rd. 16), LHP Carlos Rey (Rd. 17), RHP Alec Baker (Rd. 18) and UTL Wyatt Crenshaw (Rd. 19).
♦ Signed July 18: LHP Caden Grice (CB-B).
♦ NDFA’s signed July 17: RHP Roman Angelo, LHP Shane Telfer, CF Cole Roberts and C Jeremiah Boyd.
CARROLL JOINS ELITE COMPANY: At age 22-332d, Corbin Carroll became the youngest D-back and first since 2016 to have 25+ stolen bases, 15+ homers and 50+ RBI in a season (previous youngest: Chris Young/2007; last: Jean Segura & Paul Goldschmidt/2016).
EXTRA! EXTRA! The D-backs’ 69 straight games with an extra-base hit (since April 28, 39-29 record) is the Majors’ longest active streak and ties the club-record (also: 69-gamer from July 18-Oct. 7, 2001).
SWIPIN’ BAGS: The D-backs’ 97 stolen bases are third in MLB, behind the Rays (114) and Reds (114).
♦ Since June 12, the D-backs’ have only been caught stealing twice (July 7 vs. Pirates and July 14 @ Blue Jays), tied for second fewest (also: Rangers and Phillies).
♦ Corbin Carroll’s 28 stolen bases are tied for third in the Majors (also: Wander Franco/TB), behind Ronald Acuña Jr./ATL (44) and Esteury Ruiz/OAK (43).
ROAD WARRIORS: The D-backs’ 27-18 (.600) road record is the third best in the Majors, behind the Braves (30-14, .682) and Orioles (28-17, .622).
♦ The D-backs’ 27 wins through their first 45 road games are second most in franchise history to the 2001 World Series Champion D-backs at this point (28).
STARTING PITCHER – RHP RYNE NELSON ♦ #19
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Is 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA (7 ER in 42.0 IP) in his last 7 road starts…the D-backs are 2-2 in those contests.
- The D-backs are 7-5 in his last 12 bids.
- Has exited 12 of his 19 starts with the lead or tied.
LAST START: Did not factor in the decision on July 14 @ Blue Jays (ND; 1 ER in 5.2 IP).
VS. BRAVES Making his second career start.
- In his last start on June 3 @ Chase Field, took the loss after surrendering 3 runs over 4.2 innings.
VS. NL EAST: Making his third career start against a NL East opponent on the road…in his 2 starts (Phillies and Marlins), is 0-0 with a 1.50 ERA (2 ER in 12.0 IP) with no walks allowed.
IT’S UNDER CONTROL: Has walked 2 or fewer batters in 14 of his 19 starts.
- Has only surrendered 3 walks in his last 5 starts (28.0 IP).
PITCH TRACKING: Opposing batters are hitting .182 (8-for-44) with 10 strikeouts off his changeup and .234 (11-for-47) with 10 strikeouts off his slider.
- Opponents are batting .171 (6-for-35 AB) vs. off his changeup over his last 11 starts.
VS. LEFTIES: Is holding lefties to a .224 average (17-for-76) over his last 7 starts.
FIRST PITCH SUCCESS: His first-pitch swing (23.2 to 33.3) and first-pitch strike (53.6 to 61.4) percentages are up from 2022.
BATTED BALL STATS: His groundball percentage is up to 37.8 from 25.5 while his fly ball percentage is down to 28.4 from 44.7.
THIRD TIME THROUGH: In his third time thru the lineup, is limiting batters to a .218 average (17-for-78) with 8 walks and 10 strikeouts.
NASTY NELLY: Is 3-0 with a 1.95 ERA (7 ER in 32.1 IP) when he pitches 6.0+ innings.
INNING INFO: In innings 6-8, owns a 1.00 ERA (1 ER in 9.0 IP) with a .097 opponent average (3-for-31) and 8 strikeouts. 0-2 GOT YOU: Opponents are 5-for-42 (.119) with 16 strikeouts on an 0-2 count.
UNFAMILIAR FACES: Has faced 13 opponents for the first time this season: Marlins, Royals, Rockies, Nationals, Giants, Athletics, Phillies, Braves, Tigers, Brewers, Angels, Mets and Blue Jays.
ATLANTA BRAVES NOTES:
Big First
Atlanta sent eight men to the plate and scored five runs in the bottom of yesterday’s first inning, the fifth time this season the Braves have scored at least five runs in the game’s opening inning. Atlanta has scored at least four first-inning runs 13 times this season, by far the most in baseball. No other team has done so more than five times. Per Elias, the Braves’ 13 four-run firsts are the most in a single season since 1950, when the Red Sox set a modern-era record by doing so 16 times. The 1894 Brooklyn Bridegrooms hold the all-time record, scoring at least four runs 23 times in the first inning.
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Braves and D-backs tonight continue a three-game series in what is the fifth of six scheduled meetings between the clubs this season…Atlanta took two-of-three from Arizona at Chase Field, June 2-4.
- Arizona outlasted Atlanta, 16-13, to win the opener last night, and the clubs have split the first four games of the season set.
- Atlanta and Arizona played six total games last season, with the Braves winning four of the six… The Braves have won the season series with the Diamondbacks in each of the last two years, and since 2008, Atlanta has only lost the season series with Arizona twice…They went 3-4 against the D-backs in 2019, and 2-5 in 2016…Atlanta is 54-42 (.563) overall against Arizona since that year.
- The Braves swept three games from the D-backs at Truist Park last season, but are just 8-8 (.500) against Arizona here since the facility opened in 2017…Atlanta swept Arizona last season and in 2017, but went 2-7 here from 2018-’21.
- Starting with Atlanta’s series in Arizona, the Braves have won 28 of their last 37 games (.757) and lost just one series, their most recent one to Chicago.
- RH Charlie Morton has made 13 career starts against Arizona, including once this season, and is 5-2 with a 4.00 ERA (33 ER/74.1 IP)…In his one turn this season, June 2 at Chase Field, he took the loss despite allowing just three runs over 7.0 innings and fanning nine…In 18 total starts for Atlanta this year, the 6-foot-5, 215-pound righthander is 10-6 with a 3.20 ERA (37 ER/104.0 IP).
- RH Ryne Nelson has made one career start versus Atlanta, June 3 at Chase Field earlier this season, and took the loss after allowing six hits and three runs over 4.2 innings…The 6-foot-3, 184-pound native of Henderson, NV, is an even 5-5 with a 4.98 ERA (55 ER/99.1 IP) in 19 starts for the D-backs this season.
LOSS: Atlanta dropped its third consecutive game last night, falling to Arizona, 16-13…The Braves had not lost three straight since a four-game skid, May 10-14.
- Prior to their current skid, the Braves had won 11 consecutive home games and 17 of 18 games at Truist Park, dating to May 28 vs. Philadelphia.
- The Braves and D-backs combined for 29 runs last night, the most in a game involving the Braves since their 29-9 win over Miami on September 9, 2020 (38 total runs)…It’s the first time Atlanta has lost a game in which they scored at least 13 runs since July 15, 1990, when they fell by a 16-14 score vs. Montreal.
- The Braves stranded just one runner on base last night, despite totalling 11 hits and four walks… Their 13 runs scored equal the most runs scored while leaving no more than one runner on-base in a single-game in franchise history…The previous occurrence was a 13-4 victory over Pittsburgh on July 13, 1979.
AUSTIN RILEY: Went 3-for-5 with a double, two homers and a career-high seven RBI last night…Matched a career most with 10 total bases.
- The effort marked his sixth career multi-homer game and second this season, also: May 25 vs. Philadelphia…He also matched Los Angeles’ (NL) Max Muncy (April 10 at San Francisco) for the most RBI by a third baseman in a single game this year.
- It’s also the most RBI within a single game by a Braves third baseman since RBI became official in 1920…There have been eight previous instances of a Braves third baseman driving in six runs, most recently done by Riley, June 27, 2021 at New York (NL)…Prior to tonight, Hall-of-Famer Eddie Mathews (4 times) had been the only
Braves third basemen with multiple such games. - Each of Riley’s home runs gave Atlanta the lead…He also had two go-ahead homers on May 25 vs. Philadelphia…Riley is the first Brave with multiple go-ahead home runs in two separate games, within a single season, since Ron Gant in 1993…Los Angeles’ (NL) James Outman is the only other player across the majors to do so this season.
CHARLIE MORTON: Tonight makes his fourth start of the month…The 39-year-old right-hander is undefeated, 3-0, in July, and owns a 0.47 ERA (1 R/19.0 IP)…He has held opposing hitters to a .175 batting average.
- Among major league pitchers that have made at least three starts in July, his ERA ranks third behind Blake Snell (SD, 0.00) and Kyle Bradish (BAL), who he trails by just percentage points.
- Morton has allowed three-or-fewer earned runs in each of his last six turns, in 10 of his last 12 and in 15 of 18 total starts this season…The Braves are 5-0 in Morton’s last five nods.
- Among National League counterparts this season, Morton ranks fourth in wins (tied, 10), 10th in ERA (3.20) and 10th in strikeouts (tied, 115).
FIRST INNING EXPANDED: After its five runs in yesterday’s opening frame, Atlanta has plated 100 first-inning runs through 93 games.
- The club is on pace to score 174 first-inning runs this season and shatter its franchise record…The 1999 Braves scored 127 runs in the first frame to establish the mark.
- If that 174-run pace is maintained, the Braves would break the first-inning run record for both the National League and Major League Baseball… The 2000 St. Louis Cardinals scored 147 runs in the first inning to set the N.L. record, while the 1950 Boston Red Sox set the MLB record with 160 opening-frame runs.
- The Braves have scored 100 of their 527 total runs in the first inning (19 percent).
Tonight’s Starting Pitcher – #50 Charlie Morton RHP 2023 Record: 10-6, 3.20 ERA • 2022 Record: 9-6, 4.34 ERA vs. RHB: .267 (56-210), 4 HR • vs. LHB: .230 (42-183), 6 HR Home: 5-3, 3.55 ERA (20/50.2) • Away: 5-3, 2.87 ERA (17/53.1)
Today’s Game
- Set to make his 19th start of the season and second against Arizona.
- Struck out nine through 7.0 innings pitched while suffering the loss in his last start against the Diamondbacks.
- Morton is one six active pitchers with at least 15 starts in 13 different seasons.
- Trails only Zack Greinke (17), Clayton Kershaw (15), Justin Verlander (15), Max Scherzer (14), and Cole Hamels (14).
- Finished the first half of the season with a 3.43 ERA; the fifth lowest ERA prior to the All-Star break in a single season of his 15-year MLB career.
- Earned his 10th win of the season spinning 7.0 shutout-innings against CWS..
- Has won each of his last five outings, the third longest active streak of wins in consecutive outings in baseball…trails only Taijuan Walker.
- Became the first Braves pitcher since R.A. Dickey in 2017 to toss 7.0 scoreless frames and get the win age 39 or older.
- Morton has now won at least 10 games in six different seasons.
- Joined Justin Verlander and Adam Wainwright as the only active pitchers in baseball to win at least 10 games at the age of 39 or older in a season.
- Became just the fifth pitcher in the Braves franchise history to record 10 wins in a season after turning 39 (Niekro [5], Spahn [4], Smoltz [2], Dickey [1]).
- Morton has struck out 353 hitters with his curveball since the beginning of the 2020; the most in the majors.
- During that span hitters are missing on 53.0% of curveballs thrown, the second highest rate in the majors…The MLB average is 11.7% (among QS).
- Utilizing his curveball on 45.0% of pitches thrown this season.
- Morton’s 1019 strikeouts since the 2018 season are the fourth most in baseball.
- Prior to the 2018 season, Morton threw his curveball on 21.3% of pitches throughout his career.
- Since the beginning of 2018 he has thrown his curve on 36.4% of pitches.
- Hitters are registering a .325 batting average on balls in play against Morton in ’23.
- Over his last eight games dating to his last loss, Morton owns a .287 BABIP.
- Had a .337 battting average on balls in play through his first 10 starts.
- Hitters are averaging a 7.20 launch angle against Morton; MLB average is 11.30.
- Fifth lowest rate in the National league.
- In his age 39 season, Morton is the sixth-oldest active pitcher in the majors.
2023 Recap
- Morton struck out Miami’s Bryan De La Cruz for 1,800 on his career.
- Is now one of 13 acitve pitchers in baseball with as many punchouts.
- Became the sixth pitcher in franchise history to pitch at least 6.0 innings and strikeout nine or more in an outing at age 39 or older.
- Passed R.A. Dickey and Hall-of-Famer Cy Young with three such games.
- Trails Hall-of-Famers Phil Niekro (10), John Smoltz (8), and Warren Spahn (4).
- Struck out 10 hitters over 6.2 scoreless innings in his win against Texas on May 15.
- Has now struckout at least 10 hitters in six games since turning 38, passing Hall-of-Famer Cy Young for the ninth most such games dating to 1901.
- Morton is the first player with at least six games of 10 or more strikeouts at his age since Hall-of-Famers Randy Johnson and John Smoltz.
- Struck out Cincinnati’s Will Benson on June 25 to record his 1,800th career SO.
- Is one of 13 active pitchers in baseball with as many strikeouts.
