Critical results:
After the All-Star Game, the head-to-head battles against playoff aspirants can foretell October possibilities. But those outcomes take on additional importance if you face those squads with the campaign on the line.
After the four-day vacation, Arizona went 5-5 in the desert and 2-2 on the road through Aug. 8, but they are 1-4 since then in their recent contests. They are 1-2 at home against Seattle and 0-2 in San Francisco.
Second half results:
- Arizona at home: the Rox (1-2), Giants (2-2), Phillies (2-1) and M’s (1-2).
- Arizona on the road: the Cubbies (2-2) and the Giants (0-2).
- Colorado at home: the ‘Stros (1-1), A’s (3-0), Pirates (1-2), Dodgers (3-1) and Cards (1-2).
- Colorado on the road: the D-backs (2-1), Cardinals (1-3), Brew Crew (1-2), Astros (1-1) and Braves (4-0).
While the Diamondbacks’ tough stretch flowed into the second half, the same thing happened to the Rockies. They went 9-6 at Coors Field and 9-7 on the road after the break.
Unlike their division foes, Los Angeles (NL) began facing stronger competition at home on day one after the mid-July downtime. They went 4-9 versus the Brewers (2-2), ‘Stros (1-2), Giants (1-2) and Cards (0-3).
However, the Dodgers were 10-9 away from Chavez Ravine. They faced the Brewers (2-1), Phillies (1-2), Braves (3-1), Athletics (1-1), Rocks (1-3) and Mariners (2-1).