Arizona Diamondbacks: Winning streak reaches 13, a franchise record
By Mark Brown
The Arizona Diamondbacks established a franchise-record 13 straight wins with a victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Good teams find ways to win, and the Arizona Diamondbacks, these days, are writing that manual.
With an extra-inning win Tuesday night to tie a franchise record for most consecutive victories, the Diamondbacks continued their magic in the finale of a three-game set with the Dodgers. Receiving another stellar performance from starter Taijuan Walker on Wednesday night, the Diamondbacks picked two runs in the seventh to snap a tie and defeat the Dodgers 3-1 before 48,612 in Dodger Stadium.
Their 13th straight victory established a franchise record, and the Diamondbacks continue to match the Cleveland Indians in late August and through September. Coming into play Thursday, the Indians have won 14 straight.
With the score deadlocked in the seventh, pinch hitter Adam Rosales slammed a double to drive in the go-ahead run, and Daniel Descalso was then hit by a pitch from reliever Luis Avilan with the bases loaded to secure the lead.
Key to the win was the continued effort from Walker, who turned in six solid frames. Improving to 9-7, the effort was Walker’s 11th quality start of the season. On Wednesday night, Walker allowed one run on four hits and was lifted after 99 pitches. In his last five starts, Walker is 3-1 with a 1.63 ERA. That includes 24 strikeouts in 27.2 innings.
Afterward, Walker told Call to the Pen a principal reason for the elevation of his game represents the basic approach for every pitcher.
"“I have better fastball command, and getting a first pitch strike,” he said. “It’s pretty much the same method. Just go out at get after hitters.”"
With stellar efforts from starters these days, Walker acknowledged that it does not take much of a push or incentive from watching Zack Greinke, Robbie Ray and Patrick Corbin now pitching on an eminent plane.
"“We do compete with each other,” he said. “I know that Robbie and Zack pitched well (in Dodger Stadium), and you clearly want to match them. We push each other in a good way.”"
Absent in the glory of a franchise-best winning streak is losing an impressive 97 innings without being behind in any game. That last time the Diamondbacks trailed in a game was Aug. 24, and that streak ended in Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night
Coming into play Wednesday night, the Diamondbacks were tied with the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers for second-highest in the modern era with those 97 innings. Here, the Dodgers forged into a first inning lead on Wednesday night. That’s when Cody Bellinger grounded into a force play, and Chris Taylor scored. That marked the first time the Diamondbacks trailed in a game dating back to late August.
The 1942 New York Yankees hold the all-time mark with 100 innings without trailing.
As quickly as this streak was stopped, the Diamondbacks responded with haste. Walker had the honors and tied this one with an RBI double in the second.
The win capped the Diamondbacks’ fourth consecutive series sweep and seven straight wins on the road. Both are firsts in franchise history. The Diamondbacks also swept the Dodgers in back-to-back series for the first time in 12 years.
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Goldschmidt update
The situation surrounding Paul Goldschmidt has not changed.
Listed as day-to-day with a sore right elbow, Goldschmidt remains under the close watch of manager Torey Lovullo and the Diamondbacks’ medical team. Despite Goldschmidt’s desire to play and the plethora of contributions he makes in the clubhouse as well as on the field, Lovullo told Call to the Pen before Wednesday’s game that the decision to keep Goldschmidt on the bench remains his call.
From a medical standpoint, Goldschmidt received a cortisone shot to relieve inflammation, and the process can take several hours up to a few days. For now, Goldschmidt was kept out of Wednesday’s game and with a scheduled day off on Thursday, the odds are good that he could be back in the lineup for this weekend’s series at home against San Diego.
Monthly awards
For August, the Diamondbacks named catcher Andy Yerzy of Rookie Advanced Missoula and right-hander Kevin McCanna of Short-Season A Hillsboro as the organization’s minor league players of the month for August.
Yerzy hit safely in 22 games from July 20-August 23, and that’s the longest hitting streak in the Pioneer League this season. Overall, he hit .349 (30-for-86) with six doubles, six home runs and 13 RBI in 22 games in August. Yerzy, a native of North York, Canada, was selected by the D-Backs in the second round of the 2016 first-year player draft out of York Mills Collegiate Institute.
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McCanna, was named the Northwest League Pitcher of the Week twice from July 31-August 6 and August 7-13. He did not allow a run in five of his six appearances, including a 22.1 scoreless inning streak from August 5-20. Overall, he went 5-1 with a 0.27 ERA (1 ER in 33.1 IP), 43 strikeouts and 10 walks in six games in August. McCanna, a native of Joliet, Ill., signed with Arizona as a minor league free agent on August 3.