After consecutive series wins over first-place clubs, the red-hot Arizona Diamondbacks will welcome the last-place Colorado Rockies to Phoenix on Monday night to open a three-game set.
Arizona is a league-best 27-11 since June 28 and has won eight straight series. Its two most recent series victories might be the most impressive.
The Diamondbacks first went into Cleveland and swept the Guardians, who entered the series with the majors’ best record. Arizona then returned home and shook off a loss Thursday against Philadelphia to take the final three games against the National League-leading Phillies.
Once a season-low seven games below .500 entering June, the Diamondbacks are a season-high 13 over and are tied with the San Diego Padres for the NL’s top wild-card spot.
Arizona has made up eight games in the NL West since July 2 to pull within 3 1/2 games of the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.
“We’ve got really good energy, we’ve obviously got great talent, and we’re playing for each other right now,” Diamondbacks infielder Kevin Newman said. “It’s infectious.”
Arizona was lethal at the plate against the Phillies, racking up 30 runs on 53 hits across the four games. The Diamondbacks’ average of 5.24 runs per game leads the majors.
That average might balloon against a Rockies staff that has a major-league-worst 5.57 ERA.
Colorado is tied with Miami for the NL’s worst record, but, like Arizona, the Rockies are coming off a series win over an NL East opponent.
Manager Bud Black’s squad took two of three in Denver against the Atlanta Braves, including a dramatic 9-8 comeback win in Sunday’s rubber match.
Colorado scored seven times in the eighth inning to erase a six-run deficit. Charlie Blackmon had a two-run single during the rally and finished the series 5-for-10 with three RBIs.
Blackmon’s .258 average and .731 OPS this season are respectable for a 38-year-old, but Black said the 14-year veteran’s true value lies in how he carries himself.
“Charlie does so much day in and day out. He keeps his focus and he keeps the fight. He doesn’t back down until the game is over. He doesn’t let up. It sends a great message to our team,” Black said.
The Rockies are 2-5 this season against the Diamondbacks, though the teams last met April 8-10.
Colorado plans to send Cal Quantrill (7-8, 4.56 ERA) to the mound on Monday against fellow right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (6-6, 3.92).
Quantrill has not made it past the fifth inning in his past two starts. He was tagged for a season-high seven runs in 3 2/3 innings against the Los Angeles Angels on July 30 and allowed three runs in 4 1/3 frames against the San Diego Padres on Aug. 4.
The sixth-year veteran is 1-3 with a 6.19 ERA in seven career appearances (six starts) against Arizona. He lost a pair of starts to the Diamondbacks earlier this season.
Pfaadt limited Cleveland to two runs over 6 1/3 innings in his most recent start, a 7-3 win on Wednesday.
Pfaadt is 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA in two career starts against the Rockies. The second-year pro allowed one run over five innings in Arizona’s 5-1 win over Colorado on March 31.
The Diamondbacks should get Ketel Marte back on Monday after the All-Star second baseman sat out Sunday’s game with a bruised left ankle. Marte’s 30 home runs and .933 OPS both rank among the top 10 in the majors.
–Field Level Media