Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Paul Sewald fired a 92 MPH fastball past Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson, capping off a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
The D-backs had won their first game of the season 9-6, as Sewald locked down his first save back in the closer’s role.
It was not, however, an easy victory. Arizona held an 8-0 lead as late as the seventh inning, but watched that lead evaporate in an ugly bullpen meltdown. But it would not end in as disappointing a manner as many others have.
Diamondbacks hold on despite bullpen struggles
After right-hander Michael Soroka made a historic Diamondbacks debut, punching out 10 batters over the course of five scoreless frames.
The D-backs exploded for eight runs offensively during Soroka’s start. Corbin Carroll tripled and crushed his first homer of the year in back-to-back at-bats. Arizona was cruising toward a blowout win.
And then, right-hander Joe Ross entered. Ross gave up five hits and a walk, leading to six earned runs. He only recorded two outs. Righty Ryan Thompson attempted to end the inning, but exited without recording an out, throwing only two strikes in 13 pitches.
Juan Morillo got the final out without further damage, but suddenly, it was a close game.
Arizona tacked on another run as a result of an Ildemaro Vargas home run, while Taylor Clarke and Sewald closed out the game without too much drama.
The Diamondbacks are now 1-3, putting an end to the ugly three-game slide as a result of an opening series sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers.