We’ve been keeping track of the times the Dbacks and their opponents have been hit-by-pitches this season. The 2012 HBP-0-Meter can be found [here].

It is has long been apparent that Justin Upton gets hit by more than your average number of pitches.

It has also been increasingly apparent that things have started getting personal between the Diamondbacks and the Giants.

So, when the game started off with Justin Upton getting plunked by Matt Cain, it seemed like more of the same. Unfortunately, he ended up stranded. And, in what would become a recurring theme, the team was unable to drive a run across the plate.

So, why all this talk about batters getting plunked?

Well, in the 6th inning, with the Giants ahead 2-1 and with  2-out and nobody on, Dbacks’ starter Trevor Cahill plunked both Emmanuel Burriss and Brandon Crawford – who then both came around to score when Matt Cain (yes, the opposing pitcher) ripped a double to right field.

This was a bit of sloppy game and a bit of an offensive mess.

Three (or less) negative things:

1. The team went 0-for-the-day with runners in scoring position. This was not a pretty game.
2. The Dbacks collected 11 strikeouts on the day, with Parra, Upton and Montero collecting 2, 2, and 3.
3. The Dbacks appear to have lost their ability to come back from behind to win ballgames this year. Let’s hope this is a trend that gets reversed in the near future.

Five positive things:

1. Craig Breslow did his job and stranded his inherited runners and pitching around an error.
2. John McDonald: Pinch hitter. No matter the outcome of that plate appearance (5-3 groundout), that will always make me smile.
3. Jason Kubel is still seeing the ball well, with a walk and a couple of hits and a run scored.
4. The Dbacks can still win the series tomorrow!
5. Cody Ransom is still hitting above .300! (Yeah, so he contributed from the bench today, but I had to stretch.)

And, a random youtube video. Because cats are funnier with accents.

Score: 5-2; Diamondbacks lose. The 9 game winning streak against the Giants came to an end. Like all good things.

Conclusion: Blech.