This story was originally published by Dead Spin
The defending National League champion Arizona Diamondbacks seemingly have put their uneven start behind them and stand a season-best five games above .500.
The Diamondbacks look to post their fifth straight victory and 11th in the past 14 games when they complete a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday afternoon in Phoenix.
By winning the first two games of this set, Arizona has won four consecutive series and is 7-0-1 over its last eight.
The club that was four games below .500 after a loss to the Oakland Athletics on June 28 has since gone 16-7. That run brings back memories of the Diamondbacks crashing the playoff field last season and eventually reaching the World Series.
“I don’t think we’re ever chasing that,” Arizona outfielder Jake McCarthy said after Saturday’s 9-5 victory. “We take things one game at a time and, obviously, we want to trend upward. We have some good momentum and we’re playing good baseball. … It’s one day at a time.”
McCarthy was on fire Saturday with a career-high five hits, the first by an Arizona player since David Peralta achieved the feat against the Cincinnati Reds on April 22, 2021.
All five of McCarthy’s hits were singles. The big night came after he went 1-for-11 in his last three appearances.
“It’s just nice when they go through,” McCarthy said of his good fortune. “I was just trying to have good at-bats. A few of those hits were with two strikes. Just trying not to chase and just trying not to do too much.
“I think the approach is pretty consistent every night. It’s just nice when they fall or find holes.”
Left-handed reliever A.J. Puk was acquired from the Miami Marlins on Thursday to shore up an inconsistent bullpen. He pitched a scoreless eighth inning in his Arizona debut and has allowed no runs and one hit in 10 frames in nine July appearances.
The Pirates had won 10 of 13 games before dropping the first two games of this series.
Shortstop Oneil Cruz hit a tape-measure homer and also tripled to deep center in Saturday’s game.
The blast traveled 472 feet and cleared the pool area in right center. It was Cruz’s 16th homer of the season.
“Big day today,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said of Cruz. “Had good swings. The homer went a long way. Good swing on the triple.”
Pittsburgh lost Nick Gonzales (groin) in the sixth inning while he was running out a grounder. Rowdy Tellez (back spasms) also was out while All-Star Bryan Reynolds has sat out three straight — the first due to his back, the last two due to a bereavement leave.
Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller (10-5, 3.34 ERA) will look to silence the Arizona bats. He is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in three career starts against the Diamondbacks.
Keller received a no-decision in his last outing when he gave up one run and six hits over seven innings against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday. It marked the fifth time he pitched at least seven innings this season.
Keller, 28, has a 4.04 road ERA compared to a 2.74 mark at home.
Ketel Marte (4-for-9) and Eugenio Suarez (2-for-13) each have homered against Keller. Marte hit his 23rd homer of the season on Saturday.
Arizona right-hander Yilber Diaz (1-1. 5.40) is making his fourth career start on Sunday.
After allowing one run and four hits over six innings in each of his first two starts, Diaz was torched for seven runs and nine hits in three-plus innings while losing to the Kansas City Royals on Monday.
Both of the rookie’s strong outings came at home.
–Field Level Media
