Segura, D-backs pounce on Cardinals bullpen in 9-run inning
PHOENIX -- The move was unconventional but Cardinals manager Mike Matheny had the data to back it up. Convention won out.
With his team holding a one-run lead, Matheny went to left-handed reliever Kevin Siegrist with a string of right-handed hitters due up for the Diamondbacks.
Jean Segura welcomed Siegrist with a three-run home run, Brandon Drury singled and Paul Goldschmidt walked. Siegrist was done. But the D-backs were just getting going as they scored nine runs in the inning and won 12-7 Monday night despite another far-from-stellar outing by Zack Greinke.
"When I come to the plate, something good is going to happen. That's my mentality," said Segura, who had four hits and fell a triple shy of the cycle.
Siegrist in his career had held opposing right-handed hitters to a .179 batting average. But after Segura fouled off a couple two-strike pitches he clobbered a fastball and sent it into the left-field bleachers to give the D-backs the lead. They poured it on from there.
They sent 14 hitters to the plate in the inning and registered nine hits in turning a three-run deficit into a six-run lead.
"You don't expect to have that kind of offense after you play so many innings (Sunday)," said Segura, who is hitting .352 and already has four home runs after he hit six last season and five in 2014. "In this sport you have to have some talent but need some luck, too."
Perhaps the D-backs' luck in the series opener was when Matheny went to his bullpen. Cardinals lefty Jaime Garcia had held the D-backs to two runs in five innings. But he gave up a double to Welington Castillo and a triple to David Peralta that cut the Arizona deficit to two to starts the sixth and his night was done.
St. Louis' three relievers -- Matt Bowman, Siegrist and Seth Manes -- were charged with six earned runs between them.
"I didn't know what their bullpen situation was but I thought it was good we got (Garcia) out of there," said Greinke, who contributed a single against drawn-in third baseman Matt Carpenter in the decisive inning.
Greinke is hitting .455 this season and his offensive stats outweigh what he's done on the mound after he gave up 11 hits and was charged with seven earned runs that raised his ERA to 6.16.
"I thought I did all right, which is kind of embarrassing to give up seven runs and think you did all right," said Greinke, who gave up two more home runs in his 6 2/3 innings.
But the D-backs won.
"That's all that matters," said Greinke, who declined to discuss the challenges of pitching at Chase Field. "Really it is all that matters. But if you want to win games in the future, you have to get more outs. But today I'll take it."
All the cool kids are doing it. ? pic.twitter.com/opvylbph1b
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 26, 2016
Greinke was appreciative of the offensive support, so much so he begrudgingly gave the "drive the bus" sign to the D-backs dugout after his hit. Peralta was calling for it and was thrilled when Greinke finally obliged.
"Got to make him feel good, when he's driving in a lot of runs for us," Greinke said.
