For a D-backs team that has found themselves behind early in many games so far this season, they decided to flip the script in San Francisco Wednesday night.
Tim Lincecum was looking to improve from a mediocre start against the D-backs last week, where he gave up a two run home run to his nemesis Paul Goldschmidt in the first inning. He met his foe once again in the first inning Wednesday night, in a situation that no pitcher wants to be in when facing the All-Star first basemen. Lincecum allowed a leadoff triple to Gerardo Parra, then walked Martin Prado on four straight pitches. After taking Lincecum deep on the first pitch he saw last week, Goldschmidt was kind enough to wait until the second pitch this time around to do it again. "Goldy" (as referred to by D-back fans) jacked a fastball on the outside part of the plate over the right field wall for a three run home run. A novice lip reader could tell you that Lincecum was the least pleased.
Lincecum then went on to retire six straight, until he ran into more trouble in the third and fourth innings. Gerardo Parra led off the third with a single, and had a two run homer in the fourth, ultimately coming up a double shy of the cycle. After Parra's single in the third, Martin Prado also singled advancing Parra to third. Which allowed Goldschmidt to get Parra home on a sacrifice fly. Then D-backs infielder Eric Chavez hit a RBI triple into triples alley. All in all Tim Lincecum had another disappointing outing against Arizona, only managing to last four innings while giving up seven earned runs.
D-backs starter Bronson Arroyo took advantage of the big time run support and pitched five solid innings, giving up three earned runs in his first win of the season. Arroyo is still limited after missing almost all of spring training due to a back injury, so his workload will gradually increase as the year goes on. Two of the runs he surrendered were off solo home runs. One, a moon shot blasted by Michael Morse, and the other a line drive shot from Buster Posey. Josh Collmenter came in to get the four inning save, giving up just three hits and striking out four. Collmenter has been involved in talks regarding being inserted into the starting lineup, but stretching him out was a factor in doing so. After the game, manager Kirk Gibson confirmed that Collmenter's outing was the stretch he needed.
The Diamondbacks will look to secure their first series win Thursday night sending Randall Delgado to the bump. Delgado will need to pitch drastically better in comparison to his last start, as D-backs management has been very open to talking about making rotation changes. Ryan Vogelsong will make his second start of the season for the Giants, looking to go deeper than the four innings he pitched in his first start.
Notes: Diamondbacks first basemen Paul Goldschmidt is now 13 for 24 against Tim Lincecum, with seven home runs and 17 RBI's. Goldschmidt also became just the 35th right hander batter to hit a home run to right field at AT&T Park.