With a 13-game stretch that very well could determine the direction of their season, the Diamondbacks have passed their first test. They showed the ability to go on the road and beat one of the best teams in the National League in their own building. They were one strike away from a potential series sweep. They way they played that series from start to finish, you could argue that it was their best-played series of the season so far.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Breaking down the series, the Diamondbacks scored a total of 26 runs in the three-game series. They also got the trailing by at least two runs gorilla off their back for a day, when they came back from down 4-1 after the first to defeat the Dodgers in a 12-4 blowout. It was only the second time they’ve done that this season following a streak of futility concerning this much-cited fact. They also blew out the Dodgers in a game their ace struggled, as Zac Gallen only lasted four innings in the series finale.
The obvious hero in the series is Christian Walker, who has turned Dodger Stadium into his personal launching pad. Walker became the first-ever player to hit seven home runs in any five-game span played at the Dodgers’ home ballpark, surpassing the total of six by Fernando Tatis Jr. in 2021. In this three-game series alone, he smashed five home runs, perplexing players and coaches alike on both teams. Walker’s insane weekend generated quite a reaction from those watching it unfold.
Another key in the series win was the effort by the bullpen. In the three games, Arizona starters combined for a total of 12 innings. Usually against a team like the Dodgers, that’s not a good formula for beating them. However, the Diamondbacks’ much-maligned bullpen got the job done, allowing just two runs in 14 2/3 combined innings. Despite the heavy workload in the final two games, they put up 11 zeros while Walker and the offense got to work at blowing the game open.
No outing better encapsulated that effort than Justin Martinez’s gutsy performance in the series finale. With a short start from Gallen, Arizona was in scramble mode to complete the final five innings. Martinez stepped up to give them three dominant innings to bridge a two-run game to the back of the bullpen. While he climbed over a pitch count that manager Torey Lovullo was comfortable with going,
There’s no doubt this series should give the Diamondbacks the confidence boost they’ll need to start turning their season around. Earlier in the week, general manager Mike Hazen challenged his team to play better and they’ve stepped up. They’ve won two straight since Hazen appeared on the Bickley & Marotta Show to discuss the team’s position for the trade deadline. Entering play on July 5, they’re 2.5 games back of St. Louis of the final Wild Card, but near the front of the pack.
The next challenge will be to repeat the same effort against an equally as tough San Diego Padres team. Like the Diamondbacks, the Padres are battling for a postseason spot in the Wild Card race. Arizona is 3-4 against San Diego this season, although they managed a four-game split last month despite getting blown out in their two losses. How the Diamondbacks handle that series will be a good barometer for how the rest of the month could go.
Diamondbacks’ bullpen steps up to help take series win over LA
*Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, exclusive content, and access to our seasonal magazines! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*
Michael McDermott covers the Arizona Diamondbacks and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @MichaelMcDMLB
