D'Backs Hit Four Triples To Hold Off Rockies In Wild NL Wild Card Game

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies might very well have had the wildest Wild Card game ever (although fans of the Kansas City Royals would make a case for the 2014 AL Wild Card game between the Royals and A's). 

At first it looked like it would be a laugher. Rockies starter Jon Gray did his best Luis Severino impersonation giving up a three run home run to Paul Goldschmidt in the first and a triple to Ketel Marte in the second (who would hit two in the game). Gray was done after 1 1/3 innings down 4-0. Daniel Descalso hit a two run home run in the third off Scott Oberg to make it 6-0.

Zack Greinke looked like he was cruising. But in the fourth, the Rockies chased Greinke with four runs on a single by Gerardo Parra, a RBI ground out by Mark Reynolds, a double by Jonathan Lucroy and a pinch hit single by Raimel Tapia. If not for a sliding catch by D'Backs center fielder on a sinking liner by Charlie Blackmon things could have been worse. Blackmon would make it a one run game on an unexpected sacrifice bunt in the 7th. 

The D'Backs needed insurance and got it from an unexpected source. Relief pitcher Archie Bradley, with two strikes on him and two outs, hit a ball into the gap off Rockies reliever Pat Neshek. Bradley ended up hitting the D'Backs' third triple of the game to give them an 8-5 lead. But the euphoria of the triple nearly did Bradley in as he gave up back to back home runs to Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story in the eighth inning to bring it back to a one run lead. 

However, the D'Backs would have one more triple up their sleeve. This one came from A.J. Pollock scoring J.D. Martinez and Jake Lamb to give Arizona a 10-7 lead. A Jeff Mathis bunt single would give the D'Backs an 11-7 lead.

It was all up to D'Backs closer Fernando Rodney who was either going to be lights out or be lit up. Ian Desmond would lead off the ninth with a single and after taking second and third on defensive indifference would score on a single by Carlos Gonzalez. But by the time that happened Rodney had fanned both Blackmon and D.J. LeMahieu, the last two NL batting champions. Possible NL MVP candidate Nolan Arenado ended the Rockies' season by hitting into a fielder's choice.

The Arizona Diamondbacks now advance to the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers which begins on Friday night at Chavez Ravine. While the Dodgers have the best record in MLB, the D'Backs gave them fits this season going 11-7 against them including winning their last six match ups. I favor the Dodgers to prevail, but the D'Backs will be a handful. This NLDS should go five games.