Player of the gameNoah CameronKCR6.0ip 3h 0er 2bb 7k
On paper, it shaped up as a daunting task for the Diamondbacks. Arizona was going with a bullpen committee approach against the Royals on Monday, and facing reigning American League Pitcher of the Month Noah Cameron. Thanks to a herculean effort by the bullpen, the D-backs pulled it off. The Arizona relief corps shut out the Royals for nine innings before the D-backs’ offense got busy in the 10th, scoring five runs to boost Arizona to a 5-4 victory at Kauffman Stadium. A sacrifice fly by Lars Nootbaar put the D-backs on top, and then Geraldo Perdomo provided some insurance with an RBI single against veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel. An error by right fielder John Rave allowed the third run to score, and Arizona put it into overdrive from there. Derek Law was used as an opener and set the tone with two scoreless innings, and Jose Cabrera, Taylor Clarke, Brandyn Garcia and Justin Martinez combined for seven more zeros before the D-backs’ offense erupted in the 10th. However, the D-backs had to survive some anxious moments in the bottom of the inning. A three-run double by Salvador Perez with one out brought Kansas City within a run. Dennis Santana came on for Gerardo Carillo and stopped the Royals cold by getting Michael Massey on a fly ball and Nick Loftin on a called third strike. “Santana, who hasn’t thrown in eight days, comes in and gets the save,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “That tells me a story. It tells me what he has been doing when nobody is watching, because he was prepared for that moment.”
