With Diamondbacks tied for third place in the division pending the results of Dodgers vs Giants and 4 games behind .500 the sky’s the limit to finish out this season.  This young team’s improvement is the most important facet of any of these games as they can hopefully compete for a wildcard spot next season.  The question is with the Diamondbacks facing the Padres 5 more times before the end of the season how much can Arizona close the distance to scare the Padres and attempt to end in second place in this division.

Ryne Nelson makes his rookie debut after starting the season for the triple-A affiliate Reno Aces.  Hope seemed to run thin at the beginning of the game, Ryne Nelson’s ERA in triple-A is 5.43.  That’s right in an inferior league he is pitching a higher ERA then the average MLB pitcher.  After the first batter of the game for the Padres hit a double it seemed that maybe it would be a long game but he shut the doubters up by retiring the next 17 players in a row.

Apparently someone in the organization trusted their gut by bringing Nelson up for this game as he pitched a shutout through 7 innings. Allowing only 4 runs 0 walks and earning 7 strikeouts he becomes the second pitcher with that stat line since 1901 and breaks the Diamondbacks record for most innings without allowing a run in a debut game beating out Godley.

With young players everything is possible, you don’t know what you don’t know as they say.  The Diamondbacks have struggled against the Padres a lot this season.  With Arizona going 3-9 against the Padres during the season, before today the team was going to have to look past the past.  

One player facing the Padres for the first time definitely embraced the challenge and wanted to prove they can beat the Padres was Stone Garrett.  Stone was the first player to hit in this game, hitting a double and then Thomas hit him in to make the game 1-0.  Later in the game when the offense appeared to go stagnant he hit a home run to make the game 2-0 in the 7th inning.   

Ryne Nelson makes his rookie debut after starting the season for the triple-A affiliate Reno Aces.  Hope seemed to run thin at the beginning of the game, Ryne Nelson’s ERA in triple-A is 5.43.  That’s right in an inferior league he is pitching a higher ERA then the average MLB pitcher.  After the first batter of the game for the Padres hit a double it seemed that maybe it would be a long game but he shut the doubters up by retiring the next 17 players in a row.

Apparently someone in the organization trusted their gut by bringing Nelson up for this game as he pitched a shutout through 7 innings. Allowing only 4 runs 0 walks and earning 7 strikeouts he becomes the second pitcher with that stat line since 1901 and breaks the Diamondbacks record for most innings without allowing a run in a debut game beating out Godley.

With young players everything is possible, you don’t know what you don’t know as they say.  The Diamondbacks have struggled against the Padres a lot this season.  With Arizona going 3-9 against the Padres during the season, before today the team was going to have to look past the past.  

One player facing the Padres for the first time definitely embraced the challenge and wanted to prove they can beat the Padres was Stone Garrett.  Stone was the first player to hit in this game, hitting a double and then Thomas hit him in to make the game 1-0.  Later in the game when the offense appeared to go stagnant he hit a home run to make the game 2-0 in the 7th inning.   

With Diamondbacks tied for third place in the division pending the results of Dodgers vs Giants and 4 games behind .500 the sky’s the limit to finish out this season.  This young team improving is the most important facet of any of these games as they can hopefully compete for a wildcard spot next season.  The question is with the Diamondbacks facing the Padres 5 more times before the end of the season how much can Arizona close the distance to scare the Padres and attempt to end in second place in this division.