PHOENIX — Major League Baseball’s implementation of the pitch clock and retirement limits has successfully reduced the time it takes to complete a ball game. The average game lasted two hours and 40 minutes last year, 24 minutes less than in 2022.
That said, the Arizona Diamondbacks overcame their 2-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday especially quickly. They won in one hour and 59 minutes, their first nine-inning game in less than two hours at home in 16 years.
“I think it’s the first sub-two-hour game I’ve been in,” manager Torey Lovullo said after the game.
And while the average game is shorter now, some of the D-backs’ fastest games came before the changes, when pitchers went deeper into games with fewer calls to the bullpen.
What are the shortest games in Chase Field history?
1. May 31, 2008: Diamondbacks 4, Nationals 0 in one hour and 52 minutes
Brandon Webb pitched a complete-game shutout, his seventh in three seasons, with 113 pitches and eight strikeouts. Washington also didn’t throw out starter Jason Bergmann even though he allowed four solo home runs in eight innings (Mark Reynolds x2, Justin Upton and Chris Young).
2. September 9, 2006: Diamondbacks 3, Cardinals 0 in one hour and 54 minutes
Webb pitched another shutout that completed the game. This time it came on just 96 pitches and allowed one hit against the eventual 2006 World Series champions. Carlos Quentin homered for Arizona and Craig Counsell had two hits.
T3. April 10, 2001: Diamondbacks 2, Dodgers 1 in one hour and 55 minutes
Another game without a pitching change, Arizona’s Curt Schilling outplayed Dodgers starter Kevin Brown, turning in nine scoreless innings on two hits. Luis González homered off Brown to take a 2-0 lead.
T3. August 5, 2008: Diamondbacks 3, Pirates 1 in one hour and 55 minutes
Webb’s third complete game on the list was not a shutout but another victory. The Pirates got one run in the ninth inning, but Webb struck out two in a row to end the game and strand a pair of runners. Young hit a two-run shot off Pirates starter Zach Duke to take the lead.
5. May 15, 2024: Diamondbacks 2, Reds 1 in one hour and 59 minutes
Brandon Pfaadt pitched seven innings with one earned run and nine strikeouts. Christian Walker homered off Reds starter Andrew Abbott, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a game-winning double to right field during the eighth inning.
What was the shortest Diamondbacks game?
Arizona’s shortest game played to date was on the road on August 25, 2004.
The Diamondbacks were in Pittsburgh and fell 2-1 in one hour and 47 minutes.
Randy Johnson pitched eight two-run innings with back-to-back home runs by Jack Wilson and Jason Bay. He also struck out 11 batters. Josh Fogg, on the other hand, pitched eight frames with one run allowed for the win.
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