Arizona DIamondbacks 8 – Atlanta Braves 3

ARIZONA – After a trip to a Japanese Steakhouse that was brought up by Josh Naylor. The Diamondbacks just did something that hadn’t been done by this team in almost two weeks. Your Arizona Diamondbacks just won back-to-back games. Now don’t go jumping for joy, running to the neighbors house and telling them you’re having a cookout just yet. We still got a series to win.

All jokes aside, it feels like this was the exact game that the Arizona Diamondbacks needed after that very rough skid of games we endured.

Spencer Strider took to the mound against the Diamondbacks and well, he got rocked to put it lightly. Through five innings, this was Strider’s complete line.

5.0 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 4 K, 2 BB, 3 HRA

Ketel Marte and Corbin Carroll had the games like i said before, that they needed to have. Marte hasn’t really looked like himself since returning from injury. I’m not saying he’s playing through injury or nothing, but last season, it felt like every three or four games, he was getting a lead-off HR’s.

But finally, it seems like both of these players have broken out of those slumps that they were once in. The Diamondbacks lineup combined for a .314 batting average for this game, putting the ball in play 11 times out of 35 at-bats. The Diamondbacks also walked four times, which is slowly getting back up to the numbers they were accomplishing previously. Regardless this is an amazing stepping stone for a team who was struggling really bad.

The Diamondbacks bullpen also continues their streak of impressive outings in these last two games, they have not allowed a singular run in any of these two games. It seems like all departments are now firing on all cylinders.

Today, the Diamondbacks will be going for their first series win since facing the Rockies on May 16th, in their way today is former Cy Young winner, Chris Sale (3-3).

Through 67.2 innings pitched this season, Chris Sale has allowed 123 hits, 72 runs and has a ERA of 3.06. Sale has 86 strikeouts so far this season and will be looking for his fourth win of the season.

Sale primarily utilizes his four-seamer and slider, and during some rare times, utilizes his change-up and sinker. Expect a very heavy right-handed lineup for the Diamondbacks today. ]

Sale has seen a fair amount of the Diamondbacks in previous years, and tends to pitch decent against the Diamondbacks. Batters in 108 plate appearances, have only been able to put the ball into play 24 times, which results to a .222 batting average against Sale.

The key to beating Sale tonight is, just be patient for your pitch. Sale doesn’t really sprinkle in that change-up or sinker as much as others pitchers do. In that case, the D-backs will need to take advantage of the high-speed pitches down and away, and get Sale’s pitch count up early. The Diamondbacks got their taste of the Braves bullpen last night and we’re able to crack through Montero. Diamondbacks will need to do that just one more time.