Diamondbacks lose 100th of season, fall 4-3 to Astros

article

HOUSTON - Chas McCormick was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in the winning run in the 10th inning as the Houston Astros sent the Arizona Diamondbacks to their 100th loss with a 4-3 win on the night of Sept. 17.

Houston tied it in 10th with an RBI bloop single by Jake Meyers, and after Aledmys Díaz walked to load the bases with one out, Tyler Clippard (1-1) hit McCormick in the head with a 0-2 pitch to score Yordan Alvarez.

"Pretty crazy," McCormick, who entered in the ninth as a pinch runner, said. "Coming off the bench just being ready for whatever, and I’m just happy we won honestly. That was a great W."

It was Houston’s first win on a hit by pitch since August 1998 and third time in franchise history.

"It might have been my first walk-off, too, so that’s kind of cool to say that this is my first walk-off hit by pitch," McCormick said. "I’m pretty off the plate, so normally, I don’t get hit that much. That was a good time to get hit by a pitch."

David Peralta gave Arizona the lead in the top of the 10th with an RBI single off Ryne Stanek (3-4).

"It’s like I just bit into an onion," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said of the 100th loss. "That’s how it is every time."

Madison Bumgarner retired the first nine batters he faced and 15 of the first 16 before Jose Siri walked with one out in the sixth. After Jason Castro grounded out, José Altuve sent a 0-2 fastball to left for his 28th home run.

"Madison was throwing the ball really good today," Altuve said. "We were all happy when he was out of the game. We just continued to keep playing until we put some at bats together and won the game. That was a big inning for us."

Bumgarner said he was glad he gave up a hit after throwing seven hitless innings in the second game of a doubleheader against Atlanta on April 25 but not getting credit for a no-hitter.

"Honestly, I am not happy about it being a two-run homer to put us behind, but I don’t care about throwing a no-hitter," Bumgarner said. "Especially after the one earlier this year didn’t count when I didn’t have anything to do with it being seven innings. You can have that."

Before the sixth, Altuve had been the only Astros baserunner, reaching on an error to lead off the fourth but was quickly erased on a double play.

Bumgarner yielded two runs on one hit with three strikeouts in seven innings.

"He was fantastic," Lovullo said. "Beside from (the two-run homer), he was pounding the zone. He did a great job and allowed us to stay in this ballgame and give us a chance to win.

Before this season, the only other 100-loss season in the Diamondbacks history was in 2004 when the club lost 111 games.

Kole Calhoun gave Arizona a 1-0 lead in the sixth with a solo home run to right just out of the reach of Kyle Tucker.

Josh VanMeter hit an RBI single in the eighth to tie it at 2-2.

The Diamondbacks were 2 for 14 with runners in scoring position. Josh Rojas finished with three hits.

Houston starter Brandon Bielak threw 2 2/3 scoreless innings, scattering three hits with six strikeouts.

HE SAID IT

"You can tell by the way Bumgarner was dealing tonight that he wasn’t going to give up many. He looked like the Bumgarner of old. … If you took a pitch, it was a strike. If you swung at it, it wasn’t a very good pitch to hit. I’m telling you he still knows how to pitch even though he’s not throwing 95-96 (mph) any more. He’s still extremely tough." – Houston manager Dusty Baker on Bumgarner.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: Calhoun (left hamstring strain) was reinstated from the injured list. … INF Seth Beer (dislocated left shoulder) was placed on the 10-day IL, retroactive to Wednesday.

Astros: Castro (right knee soreness) was reinstated from the injured list. C Garrett Stubbs was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land. … Third base coach Gary Pettis tested positive for Covid-19 and was away from the team. Baker said Pettis was feeling good and has no symptoms. Baker added that Pettis had gotten the first vaccine and was about to get the second vaccine when he tested positive.

UP NEXT

Astros RHP Lance McCullers, Jr. (12-4, 3.12 ERA) will look for his fourth straight winning decision when he starts Saturday opposite Arizona RHP Humberto Castellanos (2-1, 3.90 ERA).