Arizona Diamondbacks: Patrick Corbin bounces back, gains vital win
By Mark Brown
Paul Goldschmidt of the Arizona Diamondbacks became the second player in franchise history to reach 1,000 hits.
Given the aberration of his last start, lefty Patrick Corbin of the Arizona Diamondbacks was ready to pick himself off the mat and move forward.
More importantly, Corbin was entrusted with the responsibility of lifting the Diamondbacks from their funk. Coming into Wednesday’s home game with Colorado, the Diamondbacks had dropped four of their previous five games, and the lead as the top Wild Card team in the National League slipped to three games over the Rox.
While the term “stopper” is usually reserved for the team’s number one pitcher, Corbin is regarded as number three in the rotation between Zack Greinke and Robbie Ray. Still, Corbin took to the mound to help the Diamondbacks reverse late fortunes and create greater separation from the Rockies.
Mission accomplished.
With a solid effort, Corbin turned the clock back from mid-August until early September. In that stretch, Corbin went 5-0 and compiled a record of 7-2 in starts from July 20 to Sept. 2.
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In beating the Rockies 8-2 before 26,714 at Chase Field Wednesday night, Corbin clearly lifted his team when a lift was desperately needed. For the night, Corbin lasted into the seventh (6 2/3 innings), allowed four hits, one run and fanned seven hitters. Overall, he allowed only seven baserunners of the 27 hitters he faced.
The loss snapped a Rockies’ six-game winning streak, and increased the Diamondbacks’ lead over Colorado to four games for the top National League Wild Card spot. The loss also ended an eight game road winning streak for the Rox.
Besides exhibiting strong fastball command and pin-point control, Corbin also chipped in with two hits and two runs scored. Complementing his important contribution with the bat, Corbin wanted to talk about his effort on the mound.
"“Thought I had a really good sinker and stayed on the corners,” he told Call to the Pen. “I think I just located really well. I was able to hit my spots consistently, and had one of the better sinkers this season.”"
Overall, this win was needed, and manager Torey Lovullo told Call to the Pen his team, after two straight losses to the Rox, was ready.
"“I thought our guys did a great job of being ready to play,” he said. “Corbin set an incredible tone, and held a very offensive team down for the majority of the ball game. He wiggled out of a jam (in the sixth) and, to me, was in control of every inning. That allows us to play our type of game, and that’s downhill baseball.”"
A.J. Pollock powered the offense with a 3-for-4 night, including a three-run homer into the Diamondbacks’ left field bullpen in the seventh. David Peralta chipped in with two doubles, and Jake Lamb, Paul Goldschmidt and Corbin each contributed with a two-hit night.
For the record book
With a third-inning single, Paul Goldschmidt became the second player in franchise history to reach 1,000 career hits. Luis Gonzalez is the franchise leader with 1,337 hits.
With his usual low-key personality, Goldschmidt dismissed the milestone with, “no, I don’t care. What does it mean? You get 1,000 hits. It’s cool. It doesn’t mean anything.”
Telling Call to the Pen that he may one day reflect on the achievement, he pushed this accomplishment off to others to glorify.
"“This is one of those things you may reflect on it when it’s over,” he said. “Could be a season or a career. It’s never my goal to reach any individual milestone. Plus, it’s an arbitrary number. Why does 1,000 mean anything? It will be something I may think about after the year or after my career. I’ll think back, ‘oh, that was cool.’ That will be the extent of it.”"
More numbers
With 16 hits in this game, the Diamondbacks came close to their season best, which was 20 hits and achieved at Coors Field against the Rockies on June 21.
The franchise record is 21, set twice. The last time was against the Rockies in Coors Field on June 4, 2014.