Sept. 13 – The Arizona Diamondbacks hope a day off doesn’t derail their offensive attack.
After scoring a total of 32 points in their three-game win streak, the Diamondbacks return to action on Friday night to begin a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers in Phoenix.
Arizona (82-64) is a half-game ahead of the San Diego Padres in the race for the National League’s top wild-card spot, while Milwaukee (84-62) is nine games ahead of the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.
The Diamondbacks began their run with a 12-6 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday and followed that with two-inning wins over the Texas Rangers, 6-0 and 14-4.
The slam against Texas in Wednesday’s series finale was impressive. Arizona hit 13 extra-base hits, including five home runs and a triple.
Eugenio Suárez hit two home runs, while Cotel Marte, Adrián del Castillo and Randall Grichuk each drove in one run. Grichuk’s home run was his fourth of the month and the 200th of his career.
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said, “We certainly performed at a high level and it wasn’t just sluggers that we saw, it was patient hitters waiting to deliver our pitches to the next guy.”
Suarez went 4-for-4 with seven homers in September and went 19-for-38 (.500). Suarez entered July with six homers and now has 28 homers.
Milwaukee had lost five of seven games before beating the San Francisco Giants 3-0 on Thursday night. The Brewers take two of three games from the Giants to begin a six-game road trip.
Milwaukee’s top prospect Jackson Chourio hit a two-run blast to the opposite field on Thursday. That makes him the youngest player (20 years and 185 days) in major league history to have 20 home runs and 20 steals in a season.
“I think as the season progresses and the season goes on, I know there are opportunities and possibilities to do that,” Jorio said through a translator. “I’m really happy that the ball went out of the yard and we were able to get it.”
Mike Trout (2012) and Vada Pinson (1959) also played 20 games each in their 20th-year seasons, but both were over 21 years old.
“It’s an unbelievable story,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of Jolio. “I’m honored to be a part of it. He’s an amazing kid and it’s great to be around him… there’s no bigger moment for him. To be the youngest 20-20 kid – that’s an unbelievable accomplishment.”
Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta (10-8, 3.81 ERA) will try to quiet Arizona State’s bats in the opener.
He has done that in the past, as he has a 3-0 record and a 0.55 ERA in four career starts against the Diamondbacks (two starts). He has yet to face Arizona this season.
Suarez went 2 for 18 against Peralta, while Christian Walker had no hits in nine at-bats. Josh Bell (5 for 24) and Kevin Newman (5 for 15) hit home runs against Peralta.
Peralta, 28, had won three consecutive games before losing to the Colorado Rockies on Sunday. He allowed three runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (2-2, 5.83) will take the field for Arizona.
Rodriguez has lost his last two starts and has an ERA of 8.10 in his last three starts.
The 31-year-old allowed five runs (4 ERA) and seven hits in four innings in a loss to the Astros on Saturday.
Rodriguez has faced the Brewers only once, in 2017, when he was a member of the Boston Red Sox. He gave up one run and three hits in six innings and got a no-decision.
Gary Sanchez went 5 for 20 and hit two homers against Rodriguez. Willy Adames had no hits in eight at-bats.
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