<img alt="San Francisco Giants v Arizona Diamondbacks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HBlix2HwgkeG-Tp2F_Kwwm2R9hA=/0x0:6707x4471/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73607183/2174064124.0.jpg">
Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images
Braves gain ground on their day off. Sweet. This is a quick one since only one team played. With that being said, it was still a pretty solid day for the Atlanta Braves since this result ended up going their way and gave them a small (but noticeable) boost in their playoff odds. Let’s talk about it.
San Francisco Giants (78-79) 6, Arizona Diamondbacks (87-70) 3
Box Score | Savant | Condensed Game
Our old friend Joc Pederson got the Arizona Diamondbacks on the board first in this one, as he hit the second of back-to-back doubles in order to bring home Geraldo Perdomo and make it 1-0 for Arizona after one. However, San Francisco responded in the third inning thanks to an RBI double from Jerar Encarnacion. With Encarnacion still on base with two out, Matt Chapman hit a deep fly ball to the triangle in left-center at Chase Field. The ball went over Jake McCarthy’s glove, hit the wall and bounced all the way into center field. This was really bad news for the Diamondbacks since McCarthy attempted a jumping catch and fell, so LF Pavin Smith was left to chase after the ball in center field. Arizona gave it a good try with their relay throws but ultimately, Chapman made it all the way home for an inside-the-park homer that made it 3-1.
Casey Schmitt and Michael Conforto each hit solo homers in the fourth and fifth inning, respectively, in order to push their lead to 5-2. Once the seventh inning rolled around, Michael Conforto’s one-out double ended up getting cashed in after Matt Chapman hit another line drive that went over Jake McCarthy’s glove. Arizona held Chapman to a triple this time but the lead was pushed to 6-2. Geraldo Perdomo brought Arizona within three with an RBI single in the seventh ining but the eighth and the ninth inning both came and went without any more runs being scored — meaning that the Giants started off this series with a win and helped bring the Braves a tiny bit closer to their Wild Card rivals in the standings.
Here’s a look at the standings heading into Tuesday:
Padres 90-66, +3.5, 100.0% Playoff Odds (—)Mets 87-69, +0.5, 80.5% Playoff Odds (+11.3%)Diamondbacks 87-70, —, 72.3% Playoff Odds (-20.1%)-----------------------------------------------------------------Braves 85-71, -1.5, 47.2% Playoff Odds (+6.3%)
The Braves are playing the Mets. The Padres are playing the Dodgers. The Diamondbacks are trying to avoid an ill-timed skid before they face the Padres to end their season. Buckle up, folks. We’re in for a real humdinger of a finish to this Wild Card race.
<img alt="San Francisco Giants v Arizona Diamondbacks" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HBlix2HwgkeG-Tp2F_Kwwm2R9hA=/0x0:6707x4471/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73607183/2174064124.0.jpg">
Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images
Braves gain ground on their day off. Sweet. This is a quick one since only one team played. With that being said, it was still a pretty solid day for the Atlanta Braves since this result ended up going their way and gave them a small (but noticeable) boost in their playoff odds. Let’s talk about it.
San Francisco Giants (78-79) 6, Arizona Diamondbacks (87-70) 3
Box Score | Savant | Condensed Game
Our old friend Joc Pederson got the Arizona Diamondbacks on the board first in this one, as he hit the second of back-to-back doubles in order to bring home Geraldo Perdomo and make it 1-0 for Arizona after one. However, San Francisco responded in the third inning thanks to an RBI double from Jerar Encarnacion. With Encarnacion still on base with two out, Matt Chapman hit a deep fly ball to the triangle in left-center at Chase Field. The ball went over Jake McCarthy’s glove, hit the wall and bounced all the way into center field. This was really bad news for the Diamondbacks since McCarthy attempted a jumping catch and fell, so LF Pavin Smith was left to chase after the ball in center field. Arizona gave it a good try with their relay throws but ultimately, Chapman made it all the way home for an inside-the-park homer that made it 3-1.
Casey Schmitt and Michael Conforto each hit solo homers in the fourth and fifth inning, respectively, in order to push their lead to 5-2. Once the seventh inning rolled around, Michael Conforto’s one-out double ended up getting cashed in after Matt Chapman hit another line drive that went over Jake McCarthy’s glove. Arizona held Chapman to a triple this time but the lead was pushed to 6-2. Geraldo Perdomo brought Arizona within three with an RBI single in the seventh ining but the eighth and the ninth inning both came and went without any more runs being scored — meaning that the Giants started off this series with a win and helped bring the Braves a tiny bit closer to their Wild Card rivals in the standings.
Here’s a look at the standings heading into Tuesday:
Padres 90-66, +3.5, 100.0% Playoff Odds (—)Mets 87-69, +0.5, 80.5% Playoff Odds (+11.3%)Diamondbacks 87-70, —, 72.3% Playoff Odds (-20.1%)-----------------------------------------------------------------Braves 85-71, -1.5, 47.2% Playoff Odds (+6.3%)
The Braves are playing the Mets. The Padres are playing the Dodgers. The Diamondbacks are trying to avoid an ill-timed skid before they face the Padres to end their season. Buckle up, folks. We’re in for a real humdinger of a finish to this Wild Card race.
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