Pollock Carries the Broom as Diamondbacks Sweep the Reds

More from Diamondbacks News

The Arizona Diamondbacks have swept the Cincinnati Reds in four games and now sit a game over .500. More importantly, the Dbacks are only five games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers for 1st place in the National League West. One decisive series victory against the Boys in Blue and the Snakes are right in the thick of it. It wouldn’t have been possible without this complete series sweep over the Reds.

Complete in the sense that it featured a couple of starters that went seven innings or near the total. In the two other games that didn’t, the bullpen picked up the slack in an admirable way. The offense was ready for a slugfest type of game, but also for a game in which they only needed a timely homer. The series also featured the star that is only shining brighter: A.J. Pollock.

Aug 20, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pinch hitter Jarrod Saltalamacchia (8) scores in the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. The Diamondbacks won 5-4. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

W: David Hernandez (1-3) L: Burke Badenhop (1-3) SV: Brad Ziegler (22)

The Reds jumped on Arizona starter Patrick Corbin immediately. After two innings, Cincinnati was out to a 4-0 advantage and Corbin was dismissed from the ball game. In two short innings, Corbin was tagged for eight hits, with all the runs being earned. Thankfully for him, his offense and bullpen bailed him out from receiving an L.

The bullpen contingent (consisting of Josh Collmenter, Andrew Chafin, Hernandez, Daniel Hudson and Ziegler) combined to throw seven scoreless innings. Chris Owings started the scoring off for the Dbacks with a solo hot in the 5th. A.J. Pollock drove in Ender Inciarte later in the inning to cut to the deficit to two.

The next inning, Owings would drive in another run to make the game 4-3. It was in the 8th inning that Arizona completed their comeback bid. After hits by Yasmany Tomas and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, it was Pollock that drove in the tying and go-ahead runs. On the night, Pollock went 4-for-5 with three RBI. Ziegler’s 1-2-3 inning sealed another come from behind victory for the Snakes.

Aug 20, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock (left) hits a two-run single in the eighth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart is at right. The Diamondbacks won 5-4. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

W: Rubby De La Rosa (11-5) L: David Holmberg (1-3) SV: Brad Ziegler (23)

Pollock picked up right where he left off the previous night with a home run in the 1st inning. In the 4th inning, Arizona tacked on four more runs. It started with Tomas’ 8th homer of the season. There were hits by Owings, De La Rosa and Pollock with Inciarte driving in Owings via a sac fly. Welington Castillo‘s RBI single with the bases loaded made the game 5-0 after four innings.

Cincinnati tacked a run in the 6th, 7th and 8th innings to make things interesting. De La Rosa, in a victorious outing, went a long seven innings. The length was welcomed by the Dbacks as the bullpen was taxed in the previous game. De La Rosa only surrendered two runs and struck out six hitters on his way to a club leading 11th win. Addison Reed and Ziegler took care of the 8th and 9th innings to seal the win.

Aug 22, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zack Godley throws against the Cincinnati Reds in the fifth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

W: Zack Godley (4-0) L: Anthony DeSclafani (7-9) SV: Daniel Hudson (2)

An Inciarte lead off home run started things immediately in this contest. A couple of batters later, Paul Goldschmidt broke his homer-less drought with a 2-run shot to make the game 3-0. However, by the third inning, the game would return to being even. After the Reds knocked in a run in the bottom of the 1st and the Dbacks scored in the top of the 3rd, the game was 4-1 entering the bottom of the 3rd.

Chip Hale’s questionable start of reliable bullpen arm Randall Delgado, didn’t work out necessarily. After three doubles tied the game at four, Delgado was chased from the ball game. It was destined to be another long game for the bullpen. A couple of sac flies by Inciarte and Aaron Hill in the 4th and 5th gave the Dbacks a 6-4 lead. In the 5th, an RBI groundout by the Reds made it 6-5.

In the 7th inning, Goldy smacked his 2nd two run homerun of the game to silence the “slump” whisperers. Hits by Jake Lamb, Owings and Nick Ahmed highlighted a three run 8th inning to make the game 11-5. Another hiccup by left pitcher Kieth Hessler gave the Reds a couple of runs, but Huddy came in mopped up the mess.

Aug 22, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (44) steals second base under Cincinnati Reds shortstop Eugenio Suarez (7) in the fifth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

W: Chase Anderson (6-5) L: Raisel Iglesias (3-5)

It was nice to have a shutout after the previous games slugfest. The bullpen appreciated it, but no one was more happy than Anderson, who was destined for a trip to Triple-A until Jeremy Hellickson‘s injury. Anderson pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings, while Reed continues to improve out of the bullpen. Another scoreless outing for the ex-closer and his ERA is at 3.89.

Arizona received their offense courtesy of the homerun. Castillo went BEEF MODE for his 16th home run of the season. After a Reds miscue doubled the Dbacks lead to 2-0, David Peralta was able to offer insurance in the form of a two run homer in the 9th.

Offensive Player of the Series

A.J. Pollock

11-for-15 (.733), 5 R, 2 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 3 SB

Pitcher of the Series

Rubby De La Rosa

W, 7 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 6 K

Pollock Carries the Broom as Diamondbacks Sweep the Reds

More from Venom Strikes

Schedule