PHOENIX — The Diamondbacks are facing an uphill battle ahead of Game 4 in the World Series but this isn't anything the team hasn't endured this postseason.
"It's baseball," Rookie Corbin Carroll said. "You're not going to get them every time but we have confidence in our guys that we are going to get the job done."
It was a lackluster offensive performance for the Diamondbacks, only managing six hits which mostly came at inopportune moments in the ball game. At hardly any point did the D-backs threaten to steal the lead from the Rangers in a contest that was mostly dominated by Texas.
Now, the Snakes and the Rangers will both turn to their bullpen for the second World Series home game in Arizona. Andrew Heaney will get the ball to start for Texas while Joe Mantiply will oppose him for Arizona. As you can imagine, there will be a lot of pitching changes on both sides.
Remember, the D-backs entered the playoffs with three quality starters in Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly and rookie sensation Brandon Pfaadt. After that, this team doesn't boast an ace that can go the distance, especially in the postseason. Arizona has only been forced to use a bullpen game one other time in the postseason which came in Game 4 of the NLCS against Philadelphia.
The D-backs were good enough in that outing in which they won 6-5 to even the series. Hopefully that can be repeated once again on the biggest stage there is. These types of games come down to matchups in which Manager Torey Lovullo will be responsible for substituting the most dependable pitchers in regards to whoever steps to the plate.
Game 4 should be another exciting contest which could provide more runs similar to Game 2 in Texas. Although it's fair to say something is missing and that's the excitement of an ace taking the mound in a pitcher's duel.
If the D-backs can steal a Game 4 victory in Arizona relying on their bullpen, they will have one more chance to give Zac Gallen and perhaps Merrill Kelly a shot at securing a victory and one step closer to clinching the franchise's second-ever World Series title.
