Diamondbacks 8, Rangers 7
The D-backs' Opening Day lineup against Madison Bumgarner on April 6 could look a lot like the one manager Chip Hale started against Texas on Tuesday, at least in the first four spots.
A.J. Pollock, Chris Owings, Paul Goldschmidt and Mark Trumbo combined for seven hits, four runs, four RBI and two walks in an 8-7 victory at Salt River Fields, won when catching candidate Blake Lalli singled in the winning run in the last of the ninth inning.
Hale already has said that Pollock and Goldschmidt will hit first and third, and he added Tuesday that Owings is likely to hit second against lefties. Ender Inciarte, when he plays, could hit second against right-handers. David Peralta is a candidate to hit between Goldschmidt and Trumbo when the D-backs face a righty.
"If we're facing a righty, I'd like to slip somebody between those two, probably Peralta, the way he is swinging the bat," Hale said. "Against lefties I would just stack (Goldschmidt and Trumbo)."
Goldschmidt hit his second homer of the spring off Rangers' right-hander Nick Martinez, a drive just to the left of the batter's eye in the first inning that was measured at 441 feet.
Trumbo hit a 427-foot homer into the third level of foliage above the batter's eye in center field in the third inning and was a triple short of the cycle. Trumbo is hitting .388 with six doubles, three homers and 13 RBI in 49 at-bats.
The D-backs are more likely to use a set lineup with only slight variations under Hale.
"I hate to be moving guys around," Hale said.
"I think guys feel more comfortable with more of a set lineup. Moving Trumbo from fourth to fifth, I think he is OK with that. It's when you start moving from first to sixth to third ... it just gets tough. If things aren't working out, then we'll make some adjustments."
Trumbo and Goldschmidt played the full nine innings, as did Pollock, Owings and Nick Ahmed.
"Wanted to get them nine and stretch them out," Hale said.
Chase Anderson
In his first start since being named to the rotation, Anderson scuffled in his four innings, giving up 11 hits and six runs. He gave up six doubles and a home run while using 76 pitches. He got one of his two strikeouts on a changeup and another on a curve.
He threw to three batters in the bullpen after the fourth inning to get his pitch count above 90 in preparation for his first regular-season
"I struggled a little bit with command. I felt a little off," Anderson said. "Other than that, the curveball was good and the changeup was pretty good. I just couldn't get in those counts to use those pitches more effectively."
Trevor Cahill
Cahill, originally scheduled to start the game, entered in the fifth inning and pitched two scoreless innings, striking out five of the seven batters he faced. He gave up a two-out single and a two-walk in the fifth before striking out Delino DeShields Jr. to end the inning.
Cahill threw 35 pitches, 20 strikes, and showed a nice mix. He got strikeouts on a slider, a changeup and a sinking fastball, his primary pitch.
"That was an electric sinker," Hale said. "That's what we've been seeing. We just need him to be consistent with it and trust it. The more he throws it and gets outs with it and gets swings and misses, he'll trust it more and more."
The D-backs have five candidates for the final bullpen spot -- Archie Bradley, Robbie Ray, Vidal Nuno, Andrew Chafin and Enrique Burgos -- and adding a long reliever seems to be a top priority. "With our rotation the way it is, that bridge between the fifth and the seventh is going to be important," Hale said. Both Daniel Hudson and Randall Delgado were stretched out as starters this spring and could fill that role, but Hale said that either also has good enough stuff to pitch the eighth. "It's going to be a good battle," Hale said. "Are we going to need length, or are these guys going to prove to us that they can pitch into the seventh inning? We need to see it first. We want to be prepared." ... Josh Collmenter will make his final spring start in a minor league game Wednesday. Collmenter has pitched 13 shutout innings in his three spring training starts this season while also pitching twice on the back fields. He will start April 6 opener against San Francisco. ... The D-backs have not decided whether to skip their fifth starter the first time through the rotation because of an off day April 9 and have Collmenter start on regular rest in the fifth game of the season, Hale said. Except in the case of a matchup that cannot be ignored, Hale said he would like to keep his starters in rotation. "I think it's best, if we could, to use the off day for everybody." ... Mark Trumbo made the catch of the spring, running to his left to catch a liner headed into the right field corner. ... Shortstop Nick Ahmed made an athletic turn while fielding an off-target throw and completed a double play in the seventh inning. ... Addison Reed pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, getting both of his strikeouts on sliders.
Patrick Corbin and David Hernandez threw their normal bullpen sessions Tuesday.
Diamondbacks vs. Cincinnati Reds
1:05 pm, Goodyear Ballpark
Probable pitchers: Diamondbacks -- RHP Archie Bradley, RHP Evan Marshall, LHP Oliver Perez, RHP Randall Delgado. Reds -- RHP Johnny Cueto, LHP Manny Parra, RHP Kevin Gregg, RHP Sam Lecure.