Postgame Recap (7/21/17) – D-backs 6, Nationals 5: Snakes Sink Scherzer, Nationals on Walk-Off Hit (Video)

If you would have told me before this game that the Diamondbacks were going to lead off the first inning with back-to-back-to-back home runs off the bats of David Peralta, A.J. Pollock, and Jake Lamb, well, I may have been bit a bit skeptical. That’s the beauty of baseball, sometimes things happen that you don’t expect, could never draw up on your own. This, you’ve just gotta see to believe.

Hey, remember how tonight’s game started with 3 straight homers?#OurSeason pic.twitter.com/bxpt1K4jL9

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) July 22, 2017

Just like that, the D-backs were up 3-0 on one of the best pitchers on the planet and the game had barely started.

With Scherzer struggling early, Paul Goldschmidt kept the fun going by hitting a single in the very next at-bat. He moved to second on a Brandon Drury walk and Jeff Mathis singled to score Goldy before Scherzer finally got out of the inning, but not before every D-backs player came up to bat. Scherzer threw 37 pitches in that first inning and it felt like he was done.

In the 2nd inning the D-backs got to Scherzer yet again. This time it was back-to-back doubles by A.J. Pollock and Jake Lamb that combined to score the Snakes fifth run. Scherzer would regroup beyond the 2nd and he went on to last five innings, giving up only one more hit and one walk. But the damage was done.

Zack Godley pitched well as the Nationals tried to scratch their way back into the game. Bryce Harper and Daniel Murphy each doubled in the top of the 4th to score their first run. After a lead-off double and a walk in the top of the 5th inning, the Nationals scored two more runs to trim the lead to two with the D-backs still up 5-3.

The Nationals continued to chip away. Two singles and a walk in the top of the 6th inning scored another run. A pair of doubles and a grounder in the top of the 8th inning and the game was tied heading into the 9th inning. It was starting to feel like death by a thousand cuts.

With one swing of the bat in the bottom of the 9th, A.J. Pollock tripled and just like that the winning run was 90 feet away with no outs. The Nationals intentionally walked the next two batters to load the bases. Gregor Blanco hit a shallow fly ball for the first out of the inning. The Nationals were a double play away from getting out of the bases loaded jam.

With Brandon Drury up to bat and the infield drawn in, he slapped a ground ball through the infield to score the walk-off winning run. Just the way the D-backs drew it up. This team continues to astound.

Brandon Drury has clutch in his DNA. #OurSeason pic.twitter.com/BPVTIaPLkE

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) July 22, 2017

Stats that matter

• Zack Godley had a strong outing and set a season high in strikeouts – 5.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 10 Ks
• A.J. Pollock has scored a run in four straight games and came within a single of the cycle – 3-for-5, 3 R, 1 RBI, 2B, 3B, HR
• Jake Lamb has three homers in his last two games – 2-for-3, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, HR

Bottom line

To lead off with three straight home runs against Max Scherzer, only to find the game tied in the 8th inning was confounding to say the least. It almost seemed like the D-backs did it on purpose just so they could get yet another walk-off win, their 7th of the year. Each win just adds to the story for this team.

On deck

The D-backs play the Nationals in the second game of the three-game set on Saturday at 5:10 pm MT. LHP Anthony Banda will make his major-league debut against Tanner Roark for the Nationals.