Lovullo celebrates a memorable victory in his managerial debut
Torey Lovullo, his eyes bloodshot either from his overflowing emotions or the stinging sensation a beer shower can induce, walked into the interview room, hugged one of his players, sat at the podium and leaned into the microphone to describe an afternoon he said he’d never forget.
Lovullo’s first official game as Diamondbacks manager was a whirlwind of emotions and moments. His offense didn’t have a baserunner through five innings. His bullpen coughed up late runs. His team trailed with two out and the bases empty in the ninth.
But the Diamondbacks danced on the field at 4:33 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, 6-5 winners over the San Francisco Giants, Chris Owings’ walk-off hit the first in club history on Opening Day.
For Lovullo, it was his first opener as a manager and his first official game since losing his father in January. He had 75 family members and friends in town, many of whom rode to the ballpark in a bus Lovullo chartered.
“I’m going to remember it from start to finish,” Lovullo said. “More specifically, the finish. It couldn’t have been scripted any better.”
For 5 1/3 innings, Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner was untouchable, retiring each of the first 16 batters he faced, striking out half of them, and launching a home run in the top of the fifth, the 15th of his career.
And after the Diamondbacks broke through with three runs in the sixth, Bumgarner answered the next half inning, demolishing another home run. Both balls were destroyed, leaving his bat at 112 mph, establishing a new record for the hardest-hit homer by a pitcher in the two-plus years such data has been available.
“It was amazing,” Diamondbacks right-hander Zack Greinke said. “I wish I could have a game like that.”
The Diamondbacks tied it an inning later on Paul Goldschmidt’s seeing-eye single, then watched as the Giants reclaimed the lead, again doing damage against one of their relievers. Closer Fernando Rodney gave up a triple to Joe Panik, who scored a batter later on a sac fly, and proceeded to load the bases before escaping further damage.
A year ago, the Giants blew a franchise-record 32 saves, the most in the National League, and they believed the $62 million investment they made in Mark Melancon in December would help solve their ninth-inning woes. It didn’t play out that way on Sunday.
Melancon retired the first two batters he faced before Jeff Mathis – the same light-hitting Diamondbacks catcher who broke up Bumgarner’s perfect game with a triple in the sixth – lined a double into left-center field. Pinch-hitter Daniel Descalso followed by shooting a single into center, scoring pinch-runner Jeremy Hazelbaker, and just like that the game was tied.
Two batters later, it was Owings’ turn. Behind 1-2, he fought off a Melancon cutter and muscled it into right field. Descalso crossed home and raced toward Owings. Lovullo turned to his coaches and hugged them. Players, led by a runaway David Peralta, streamed out of the dugout. Among the celebrating mass of bodies that encircled him, Owings noticed something odd amid the helmets and hats on the infield grass.
“Somebody lost a shoe,” Owings said. “I saw a shoe floating around.”
Lovullo was entering the interview room as Owings was departing, and he wrapped his arms around his starting shortstop. Minutes earlier in the clubhouse, Lovullo had been doused in beer by his players – although he jokingly would not confirm nor deny the liquid that got into his eyes.
“I don’t know what it was,” he said. “It wasn’t Gatorade, that’s for sure. It’s still burning. You talk about grinding it out – right now I’m grinding out this interview.”
He was thankful for the win – and for the family he had around him to witness it.
“It was emotional, I’m not going to lie,” he said. “I miss my dad, but my family is here. They loved me and supported me today and yesterday in a very intimate way. I felt everybody’s presence. It couldn’t have been scripted any better for me.” Reach Piecoro at (602) 444-8680.