Ryan Roberts is a man of magic. Against all odds, Tatman continues to provide huge hits for the Arizona Diamondbacks, as he has done all season long. In Game 4 of the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers, Roberts hit a grand slam in the bottom of the first, giving the D-backs a 4-1 lead.
After three innings, Arizona leads Milwaukee 7-3. Joe Saunders struggled in the early going, giving up five hits and two walks. Of course, Randy Wolf's stat line is much worse: eight hits, seven earned runs, three walks.
Ryan Braun helped the Brew Crew get off to an early lead, driving in Jerry Hairston Jr. with a first inning double. That lead, however, was short lived.
Willie Bloomquist led off the bottom of the first with a single. Justin Upton walked and Miguel Montero also singled, loading up the bases with one out. After Paul Goldschmidt struck out, Ryan Roberts drilled a Wolf pitch into the left field bleachers for his second grand slam in his last three home games.
Chris Young immediately followed with a solo home run, pushing the lead to 5-1.
The Brewers diligently chipped away at the lead, scoring a run in each of the first three innings to close the gap to only two.
Collin Cowgill pinch hit for Saunders in the bottom of the third, poking a single to the left side that drove in two huge runs. This move was an unorthodox decision by manager Kirk Gibson, who has relied on gut instinct all year long.
Should the Diamondbacks win tonight, the decisive Game 5 of the NLDS would be played on Friday in Milwaukee. That information notwithstanding, the team is entirely focused on Game 4.
For more, check out AZ Snake Pit.