Arizona Diamondbacks: Pollock and Lamb break out in a big way
Two cold bats stepped up when the Arizona Diamondbacks needed it most Wednesday
This is exactly how the Arizona Diamondbacks hoped and needed Wednesday night’s game against the Colorado Rockies to go.
After dropping the first two games of the series and seeing their hold on the first National League Wild Card spot drop from five games to three, the D-backs could ill afford to see Colorado get any closer.
With a win, the Diamondbacks would have clinched the season series against the Rockies and as a result, secured home field advantage for the wild card game in the advent of a tie in the standings at the end of the season. It would also give Arizona a chance to split the series and not lose any ground in the wild card standings.
Left-hander Patrick Corbin set the tone with 6.2 innings of one run ball, but the offense needed to step up. Entering the third game of a four-game set and game five of a seven-game homestand, D-backs’ batters were 11-for-45 with RISP (.244) after going 0-for-7 in Tuesday’s loss.
The Diamondbacks had seemingly reverted to their July 4-Aug 20 form. They could not get a big hit or link at-bats, relied on solo home runs and put too much pressure on the starting rotation and bullpen.
That all changed on Wednesday at Chase Field. The D-backs linked at-bats and came up with big hit after big hit. Every player that stepped on to the field had at least one base hit. Even Corbin (two hits, two runs scored) and pinch hitter Rey Fuentes (one single) contributed.
In the end, the Diamondbacks were 4-for-14 (.285) with RISP and collected 16 hits. They scored one run in each of the first five innings for the first time since 2012 and comfortably defeated the Rockies, 8-2, in exactly three hours in front of 26,714 at Chase Field.
The whole entire offense was the story. When everybody can do a little bit to contribute, the team is much better off. One guy does not need to do more than he has to – after all, there is a reason why baseball is a team sport.
Somebody other than J.D. Martinez had to contribute. Martinez collected a double and an RBI, but didn’t have a “Just Dingers” kind of night, which is scary to think about.
More from Venom Strikes
- Happy Thanksgiving Diamondbacks Fans! We have lots to be thankful for!
- The perfect holiday gifts for the Arizona Diamondbacks fan
- Diamondbacks make some BIG 40-man roster Moves
- About time! Diamondbacks to now provide housing for Minor League players
- What is the Rule 5 Draft? How does it impact Diamondbacks?
Big Time Performances
Fortunately, two cold bats stepped up and had big performances. A.J. Pollock entered Wednesday 2 for his last 22 at the plate and had yet to get his swing back since coming off the disabled list. But he collected three hits, including a big three-run homer that broke the game wide open in the eighth and four RBI.
Every ball he hit was hard. If the Diamondbacks can get his bat going that would certainly help the Diamondbacks chances entering the postseason. He certainly was the start of the show on Wednesday.
In addition to Pollock, Jake Lamb collected two hits and two RBI early. He collected RBI No. 100 and joined Paul Goldschmidt as the second set of D-backs’ teammates to collected 100 or more RBI in the same season. This is Lamb’s first season of 100 RBI or more. Lamb is hitting just over .200 in the second half so he needed Wednesday’s game.
If Goldschmidt can also return to form and Lamb and Pollock can get hot, the Diamondbacks lineup is as dangerous as any. With David Peralta leading off, Ketel Marte or Chris Iannetta hitting second, Lamb, when he is right, hitting third and Goldschmidt and Martinez in the fourth and fifth spots.
Let’s see if Lamb and Pollock can carry over their performance into Thursday’s series finale.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Jake Lamb cannot bat third in the lineup right now
Want your voice heard? Join the Venom Strikes team!