MLB The Show 17: Rockies at Diamondbacks NL wild card game sim

The Arizona Diamondbacks will advance to face their division rival Los Angeles Dodgers in an NLDS series according to MLB The Show 17.

Behind a near complete-game shutout by starting pitcher Zack Greinke and a great night at the plate by center fielder A.J. Pollock, the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Colorado Rockies 6-0 in the 2017 National League Wild Card MLB The Show 17 simulated game on Wednesday, October 4.

Similar to his counterpart New York Yankees pitcher Luis Severino in the American League Wild Card game simulation, Greinke dominated the road team early and often.

After both starters sat the hitters down in order in the first inning and Greinke only allowed a Colorado shortstop Trevor Story double in the top of the second, Pollock got his first at-bat of the contest and made it count. With third baseman Jake Lamb on first, after he singled and with one out, Pollock broke the scoring ice with this bomb.

The Rockies were able to get starting pitcher Jon Gray all the way to third base in the top of the third after he walked, center fielder Charlie Blackmon singled and second baseman D.J. LeMahieu grounded into a fielder’s choice. Right fielder Carlos Gonzalez struck out chasing a low changeup to end the inning, however.

The only other time that Colorado got that close to scoring prior to the threat that ended Greinke’s night was in the top of the sixth when Blackmon doubled to lead off the inning and took third base on another LeMahieu ground out. Greinke was able to strike out third baseman Nolan Arenado and get left fielder Gerardo Parra to fly out to quell that threat.

The Diamondbacks would get another run off Pollock’s bat in the bottom of the fourth when his double scored J.D. Martinez, who had walked to start the inning. Arizona scored its fourth run of the game in the home fifth when shortstop Ketel Marte, right fielder David Peralta and catcher Chris Iannetta all recorded one-out singles. That would be the end of the day for Gray.

The Diamondbacks added their final two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Second baseman Daniel Descalso walked to lead off the inning, and after Rockies reliever Jake McGee was able to get Marte and Parra to fly out, he walked Peralta. McGee was replaced by reliever Pat Neshek, who promptly gave up a single to Iannetta that scored Descalso. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt then took the plate and hit a double to score Peralta.

Greinke entered the ninth inning ready to complete the shutout, but a walk to Arenado and a Parra single followed by a walk issued to Colorado pinch hitter Mike Tauchman prompted the Diamondbacks to relieve Greinke with one out to go. Reliever David Hernandez was able to get Rockies catcher Jonathan Lucroy to ground out to end the game.

The final line on Greinke was 8 2/3 innings of work with no runs allowed on five hits, four walks and eight strikeouts. Gray went 4 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Both Blackmon and Parra went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead Colorado. Pollock’s line was 2-for-4 with three runs batted in and a run scored. Arizona will play Game 1 of the NLDS in Los Angeles on Friday.

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The MLB The Show 17 postseason continues on Thursday, October 5 with Game 1 of the Boston Red Sox at Houston Astros ALDS series and Game 1 of the New York Yankees at Cleveland ALDS series as well.