SB Nation Arizona - Hudson's Poor Outing Kills D-backs Shot At Sweep Of Reds, 7-4https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46593/arizona-fave.png2011-04-21T12:41:47-07:00http://arizona.sbnation.com/rss/stream/18841232011-04-21T12:41:47-07:002011-04-21T12:41:47-07:00Hudson's Poor Showing Kills Diamondbacks Chance To Sweep Reds
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<p>It sure would have been fun if the Diamondback could have found a way to sweep the reigning NL Central Champion <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Cincinnati Reds</a>. Even the fact that we were thinking that the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> had a legit shot at accomplishing that feat in a road series shows just how far this team has come already in 2011. We should be happy with the 4-2 season lead over the Reds and we are. </p>
<p>The final game of the series took a hard lump for the visitors in the first inning. <span>Daniel Hudson</span>, who had received just one run of support in his last 19 innings, decided to take matters into his own hands. Unfortunately, that led to his giving up four runs in the first frame.</p>
<p>Hudson's a young pitcher and will learn and he showed a lot of grit to even make it to the fifth inning. That saved Gibby from having to go too deep in his bullpen with another road series looming.</p>
<p>Offensively, the Diamondbacks were able to get just three runs off <span>Mike Leake</span> who turned out not to be all that distracted by his recent legal problems. Leake picked up the win to improve to 3-0 on the season with his seven inning, three earned run outing. </p>
<p>Hitting stars for the D-backs were the middle infield duo of <span>Kelly Johnson</span> and <span>Stephen Drew</span>. Both went yard and combined they drove in three of the D-backs four runs. Hudson was credited with the other RBI off a sacrifice bunt.</p>
<p><b><i>For more on this game, this series, and all things D-backs, hit up <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com" target="_blank">AZ Snake Pit</a>.</i></b></p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-diamondbacks/2011/4/21/2125308/hudsons-poor-showing-kills-diamondbacks-chance-to-sweep-redsSeth Pollack2011-04-21T09:02:35-07:002011-04-21T09:02:35-07:00Diamondbacks Go For Sweep Of Reds In Early Game
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<p>Nothing like a little baseball with your morning coffee. The Arizona Diamondbacks (8-8) can notch their first series sweep of the season with a win today over the Cincinnati Reds (9-9). The gritty Snakes can also go over .500 with the win. So, how about they go get that win for us. That would be fun.</p>
<p>Today's pitching match up features Daniel Hudson (0-3, 4.26) who takes his deceptive fastball and plus change against former Sun Devil and<a href="http://arizona.sbnation.com/2011/4/19/2120344/mike-leakes-shoplifting-arrest-fits-common-pattern" target="_blank"> recently arrested shoplifter</a> (allegedly), Mike Leake (2-0, 5.40). The D-backs have scored just one run for Hudson in his last 19 innings on the mound. That won't do.</p>
<p>Here's the lineup for this Thursday day game: Johnson 2B, Roberts 3B, Upton RF, Drew SS, Young CF, Miranda 1B, Parra LF, Blanco C, Hudson RHP</p>
<p>In D-backs old man injury news, beat writer Nick Piecoro <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/nickpiecoro/status/61069739136528385" target="_blank">tweeted </a>that INF Geoff Blum would need surgery on his knee and could be out six to eight weeks. MLB.com reported that 3B Melvin Mora has a swollen left foot and would be held out of the game but doesn't think he will do on the DL.</p>
<p>Good thing that Ryan Roberts guys is hanging around. He's got a career-high seven game hitting streak which includes a .455 average (10-for-22) and two homers with six RBI. Go Ink Boy!</p>
<p>Game starts at 9:35 a.m. this morning and will not be broadcast on TV. So, turn on the radio at work and enjoy some day baseball while you try and visualize grit.</p>
<p><i><b><a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/" target="_blank">AZ Snake Pit</a> has a game thread for you as well. Go there and comment, we won't tell your boss.</b></i></p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-diamondbacks/2011/4/21/2124820/diamondbacks-go-for-sweep-of-reds-in-early-gameSeth Pollack2011-04-20T19:25:46-07:002011-04-20T19:25:46-07:00Kennedy, Roberts Lead Diamondbacks To 3-1 Victory Over Reeling Reds
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Arizona Diamondbacks</a> continued their domination of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Cincinnati Reds</a>, securing a winning series and also the season series, downing the struggling NL Central champs 3-1 in Cincinnati. With the win -- their third straight -- Arizona pulled to .500 on the season at 8-8, while dropping the Reds to .500 at 9-9. </p>
<p><span>Ian Kennedy</span>, who got bombed in his last start, showed a lot of Gibson grit in 5 1/3 innings. He allowed one run on four hits, and while the box score says he was great, he had to work. He threw 103 pitches and also got belted on the lower leg, but allowed only one extra-base hit, a run-scoring double by <span>Joey Votto</span> that ended his night.</p>
<p>The offense was also gritty. The first run scored on a sacrifice fly in the first inning and their second run was a clinic of manufacturing runs (aka. gritty offense). <span>Stephen Drew</span> led off the inning with a double. <span>Ryan Roberts</span> moved him to third on a flyout to right field and then Ian Kennedy scored him on an RBI groundout. </p>
<p>Once again, Ryan Roberts was a hero. After pulling within one run in the sixth inning, Roberts doubled in a third run against Reds starter <span>Bronson Arroyo</span> in the seventh, who after giving up the two early runs, set down 14 Diamondbacks in a row. </p>
<p>After Kennedy was taken out, <span>Juan Gutierrez</span> promptly fell behind 3-0 to the first batter he faced, but then got the final two outs, leaving the tying run stranded at second. </p>
<p><span>Sam Demel</span>, <span>David Hernandez</span> and <span>J.J. Putz</span> pitched three innings of no-hit relief to end the game. Putz logged his fifth save on the year.</p>
<p>Tomorrow the Diamondbacks will go for a gritty road sweep, sending <span>Daniel Hudson</span> to the mound against ASU alum and <a href="http://arizona.sbnation.com/2011/4/19/2120344/mike-leakes-shoplifting-arrest-fits-common-pattern" target="_blank">alleged shoplifter</a> <span>Mike Leake</span>. It is day baseball, starting at 9:35 AM Arizona time.</p>
<p>Join in the Diamondbacks conversation and for more insights over at <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/" target="_blank">The AZ Snakepit</a>. </p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-diamondbacks/2011/4/20/2123913/kennedy-roberts-lead-diamondbacks-to-3-1-victory-over-reeling-redsJess Root2011-04-20T11:00:47-07:002011-04-20T11:00:47-07:00Diamondback's Attendance Up For 2011 While League Overall Declines
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<p>CNBC's fantastic sports business reporter Darren Rovell <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/42683786" target="_blank">has a study of attendance figures</a> across Major League Baseball. His reporting finds an overall decrease of 304 fans per game on average so far in 2011. That's a decline of less than one percent but still troubling since it continues a trend. Since 2007 baseball has seen attendance steadily decline down from a high of 30,138 to 28,997 so far this season.</p>
<p>There is good news, however, for the D-backs who have had some record-low numbers in the later part of last season and set a new low for a Sunday game this season. The gritty Snakes are up .1 percent to 23,710 per game so far this season. As Kirk Gibson has said, people will come watch the team if they are competitive and so far, he's right. Let's see if this trend continues through the summer.</p>
<p>The Diamondbacks rank 19th in average attendance so far this season.</p>
<p>Granted, it's a small sample size with just nine home games played over one home stand, but at least the numbers aren't going down like they are elsewhere in baseball. Attendance is down at Wrigley (-16%) for the Cubs and the Dodgers are down (-13.2%) as well.</p>
<p>SB Nation's Rob Neyer <a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/2011/4/17/2117280/is-youth-baseball-dying-in-america" target="_blank">loves to talk about there being no demise of baseball</a> coming, but certainly this four-year trend has to be troubling.</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-diamondbacks/2011/4/20/2122929/diamondbacks-attendance-up-for-2011-while-league-overall-declinesSeth Pollack2011-04-20T08:17:44-07:002011-04-20T08:17:44-07:00Diamondbacks, Kennedy Look To Continue Domination Of Reds
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<p>Hey Cincinnati, how does that Diamondbacks' a$& taste? OK, it may be a bit too soon for hyperbolic celebration but another win over the mighty <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Reds</a> (9-8) is definitely cause for celebration in Arizona. It's been a long, hot, dry spell of bad baseball in the desert and you better believe we are going to cling to any signs of progress. Shoots of green hope come from unlikely sources, <span>Ryan Roberts</span> for example, but a win is a win is a very nice win in Game 1.</p>
<p>Today the series continues with each team's soft-throwing ace on the mound. <span>Ian Kennedy</span> (1-1, 6.88) will face <span>Bronson Arroyo</span> (2-1, 4.24) in a battle of curve ball versus changeup. May the best junk win.</p>
<p>Kennedy is coming off his worst start of the season where he gave up nine runs in just three innings in a loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">St. Louis Cardinals</a>. Of course, that start came on top of his best outing where he went eight innings and allowed just one run while punching out nine batters. That, coincidently, came against these Reds. I think the kids call that "pwnd".</p>
<p><i><b>Today's game starts at 4:10 p.m. Arizona time (the BEST time) and will be broadcast on Fox Sports Arizona. Live game thread at <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com" target="_blank">AZ Snake Pit</a> will be jumping and bumping as always.</b></i></p>
<p>Time for some Farm Reporting where we learn that first baseman <span>Paul Goldschmidt</span>, aka Big Goldy, already has seven homeruns on the season for the AA Mobile BayBears:</p>
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<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2011/4/20/2121871/diamondbacks-farm-taylor-harbin-brandon-allen-dave-winfree">Diamondbacks Farm Round-Up: April 19th - AZ Snake Pit</a><br>All three <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> affiliates that saw action today won - though it took one of them 12 innings to pull out the victory. In general, it was an offensive-driven sweep: our farm teams outscored the opposition 25-14 in total, and there were three players who had four-hit games today. </p>
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https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-diamondbacks/2011/4/20/2122545/arizona-diamondbacks-schedule-ian-kennedy-cincinnati-reds-bronson-arroyoSeth Pollack2011-04-19T19:34:03-07:002011-04-19T19:34:03-07:00Roberts, D-backs Beat Reds 5-4 In First Game Of Series
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<p>Ryan Roberts, filling in for the injured Melvin Mora, hit two home runs off of Cincinnati Reds starter Sam LeCure -- the second multi-homer game of Roberts' career -- and the Arizona Diamondbacks took the first game of the series with a 5-4 win. Chris Young and Kelly Johnson added homers of their own, totaling up to both the most homers hit in a game this season by Arizona and the most homers allowed by the Reds in a game this season.</p>
<p>Justin Upton almost went yard himself, but a potential home run bounced off the wall in right field and came back in play for a triple.</p>
<p>D-backs starting pitcher Armando Galarraga made it through six innings with six strikeouts, allowing three earned runs. Newly acquired closer J.J. Putz covered the ninth inning, getting his fourth save in as many chances, making him the first Snakes pitcher to convert his first four save chances of a season.</p>
<p>For LeCure and Cincy, it was the third straight game that the starter gave up at least five runs. The Reds have now lost five of six and are teetering at .500 since after starting the season at 5-0.</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-diamondbacks/2011/4/19/2121759/arizona-diamondacks-vs-cincinnati-reds-ryan-roberts-justin-uptonJustin Burning2011-04-19T12:01:57-07:002011-04-19T12:01:57-07:00Justin Upton's Awesome Ownership Of Chase's Right Field
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<p><span>Justin Upton</span> is off to a great start to the season. The 23-year-old worked hard in the offseason and has come back locked in. He's a quiet guy off the field but the numbers he's putting up at the plate and his improved defense are pushing closer and closer to the role he's seemed destined to fill -- super star.</p>↵<p>Soco from <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com" target="_blank">AZ Snake Pit </a>did far too good of a job with this write-up on Justin for me to do anything but get out of the way. </p>↵<p>Go read <b>ALL </b>of this. Here's just a snippet:</p>↵<blockquote>↵<p><a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2011/4/19/2119575/fan-confidence-justin-upton">Fan Confidence: or, the Loneliest Place Is Right Field - AZ Snake Pit</a><br>Justin Upton might be shaping up to his best year yet. His line through 14 games: .304/.400/.571 and 4 home runs. His BABIP is .310, when it’s been .343 for his career. </p>↵<p>You’d take his current line over 162 games, now imagine how scary-good he might be if this is just the beginning.</p>↵<p>His main offensive flaw would be a strikeout tendency, but he has significantly improved that so far in 2011. In every prior season, his strikeout ratio has hovered at 25% or worse. So far in 2011 his ratio is at a more reasonable 15.4%. </p>↵</blockquote>↵
https://arizona.sbnation.com/arizona-diamondbacks/2011/4/19/2120729/justin-uptons-awesome-ownership-of-chases-right-fieldSeth Pollack2011-04-19T09:10:48-07:002011-04-19T09:10:48-07:00Arizona Diamondbacks Series With Cincinnati Reds Features Aces And Thieves
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<p>The <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Arizona Diamondbacks</a> get their second and final crack at <span>Joey Votto</span> and the <a href="https://www.redreporter.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cincinnati Reds</a> as the teams meet again this month. Or really we should say the Reds get another shot at the D-backs who won their first series when the teams played at Chase Field a week ago. Either way, these two NL powerhouses won't see each other again until the playoffs. (Don't laugh.) (OK, laugh.)</p>
<p>The pitching match ups in this series should be interesting as well. In Tuesday's Game 1 the D-backs throw their fifth starter who happens to have a team-high two wins. Mr. (Almost) Perfect will put his perfect 2-0 record up against <span>Sam LeCure</span> who with a name like that obviously, is from Texas.</p>
<p>Sam is 0-0 in two starts this season but is sporting a nice ERA of 2.25 with a gaudy WHIP of only 0.67. Sam, however, has faced easy competition (Houston and San Diego) so far. Let's see how he deals with the likes of <span>Willie Bloomquist</span> (.316) and <span>Miguel Montero</span> (.391). (Don't laugh.) (OK, laugh.)</p>
<p>The next two games of the series feature each team's number one and number two starters. </p>
<p><span>Ian Kennedy</span> (1-1, 6.88) will look to bounce back Wednesday after his last rough outing against Mr. Junkball, <span>Bronson Arroyo</span> (2-1, 4.24). In the series finale Thursday, <span>Daniel Hudson</span> (0-3, 4.26) faces <span>Mike Leake</span> (2-0, 5.40), assuming he makes bond. (Don't laugh.) (OK, laugh.)</p>
<p>Normally, we would slag Leake hard for getting pinched trying to steal $60 worth of men's shirts from Macy's, but he did go to ASU so we will lay off (a bit).</p>
<p><b><i>First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. Arizona time (the only time that matters) with the game broadcast on TV at Fox Sports Arizona. </i></b></p>
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<p><b>WEATHER ALERT!!</b> -- Thunderstorms are forecast for this afternoon and evening at Great American Ballpark so don't be surprised if this game is delayed in some form or fashion. </p>
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<p><i><b>Here's more D-backs updates from the great <a target="_blank" href="http://www.azsnakepit.com">AZ Snake Pit:</a></b></i></p>
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<p><a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2011/4/19/2119489/series-preview-6-arizona-diamondbacks-vs-cincinnati-reds" target="_blank">Series Preview #6: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Cincinnati Reds - AZ Snake Pit</a><br>Ah, how time flies. It seems like only a week ago that the Reds came into Chase Field and got kicked around by the home team, giving the Diamondbacks their first and only series win thus far in 2011. </p>
<p>How simple we all were back then, filled with rosy optimism about the Diamondbacks upcoming series against the <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cardinals</a> and <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Giants</a>. The last time the D-Backs faced the Reds, they were at .500, <span>Josh Collmenter</span> was still wasting away in AAA, the price of gas was a mere $3.73, and everyone was angry about <span>Joe Saunders</span> ruining a string of quality starts from our rotation (wait, that last one actually DOES seem like a long time ago). </p>
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<p>Ooh, this looks like fun...</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/2011/4/18/2095444/baseballs-greatest-scandals-steinbrenner-winfield" target="_blank">Baseball's Greatest Scandals, #10: Steinbrenner vs. Winfield - AZ Snake Pit</a><br>In this irregular series, we'll be taking a wander through the darker side of baseball history, visiting the 'Hall of Shame' for the sport.</p>
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https://arizona.sbnation.com/2011/4/19/2333768/arizona-diamondbacks-series-with-cincinnati-reds-features-aces-andSeth Pollack