Arizona Diamondbacks – After early hot streak, back to reality
By Mark Brown
Following their hot start, the lethal bats of the Arizona Diamondbacks cooled.
At the start of the season, most pundits believed the Arizona Diamondbacks would be just an average baseball team. Following the opening week of the season, the Diamondbacks proved that theory wrong and soared to the top of the baseball world. Their lethal bats represented the catalyst for this surge.
Then, the Diamondbacks hit the road for series against National League West rivals, the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers. These two clubs, most experts held, would likely emerge as those destined to battle for division honors.
After dropping two of three to the Giants at AT&T Park, the roof caved in during the opener of a four-game set at Dodger Stadium. If you’re trying to break the doldrums of a minor skid, it certainly does not help to face Clayton Kershaw. That’s the reality the Diamondbacks faced on their initial sojourn into SoCal.
On Friday night, Kershaw sawed off the collective Diamondbacks bats. That’s when he pitched into the ninth inning (8.1), allowed just four hits and gained his second win of the season. On a torrid streak, Kershaw’s effort highlighted his value. In his last 10 games at Dodger Stadium, the lefty is 9-0 with a 0.47 ERA and only four run earned.
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Against the Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium, Kershaw improved to 7-1 with 1.69 ERA in 12 career starts.
That was easily good enough to limit the Diamondbacks bats. Coming into the Dodgers series, Arizona topped the majors with a team .283 batting average, but a 7-1 loss to L. A. Friday night showed their morality.
The lone run was driven in by Chris Owings, who is off to a .341 (14-for-41) start. The shortstop has hit safely in nine of the Diamondbacks first 10 games and includes three doubles, one home run and six RBIs.
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On Saturday, the Diamondbacks hope to get back to their winning ways of the opening week. Look for lefty Patrick Corbin (1-1 1.80 ERA) to face right-hander Kenta Maeda (1-1, 6.30). The series continues with games Sunday afternoon and Monday night in Dodger Stadium.