PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks quickly shut down the Chicago White Sox on Father’s Day Sunday, building a 10-1 lead through four innings and rolling to a 12-5 victory.
Arizona took the series at home with a 4-2 record, having either tied or won the past five series.
The Diamondbacks had an all-around performance on the offensive end, recording nine hits and eight walks, as well as setting a lot of momentum with timely extra base hits.
The game started early, with the Diamondbacks’ first five men not getting an out. Joc Pederson scored two runs with a double but was out at third base in the first inning. Christian Walker followed with a solo home run off White Sox starter Drew Thorpe, who had a dismal performance in just his second MLB start.
Walker had three hits and three RBIs on the day, moving him within three bases of catching the cycle.
Make this guy an All-Star!!
👉 https://t.co/4SLoL8HfgQ 👈 pic.twitter.com/SV3e9hIK6w
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) June 16, 2024
Walker hit a two-run double to right field with the bases loaded in the fourth inning to extend the lead to 7-1.
Arizona scored six runs in the fourth inning — two on a wild pitch by Chad Kuhl and two on a sacrifice fly. Jake McCarthy had three RBIs on Sunday with two sacrifice flies, one walk and one RBI triple.
All starting members reached base.
“I thought we had a great game plan,” manager Tory Lovullo said, “and you could tell from the beginning that our guys were very engaged, very focused and determined to win the series. I thought we had a really great approach early on. … Nine hits, eight walks and a ton of traffic. If we do this, we’re going to score runs.”
The Diamondbacks (35-37) remain close to .500. The team has gone 10-5 in June, thanks in large part to an offensive awakening over the past two weeks. Arizona is the top-scoring team in the National League this month with 91 points.
Corbin Carroll undergoes MRI scan
Corbin Carroll left the game in the seventh inning with left side tightness after receiving a throw from the outfield. He is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday but said after the game he was optimistic he did not sustain a serious injury.
“I was in a little bit of a weird position. My left foot went forward when I was trying to throw and I felt something pulling me to the left side. It’s not like it hurts a lot,” Carroll explained. “I’m feeling great right now and I want to play in the (next) Washington series.”
Corbin Carroll said after the game that he felt some soreness in the left side of his rib cage after pitching but felt pretty good, and the Diamondbacks outfielder remains optimistic he’ll be able to play in the team’s next series at Washington. pic.twitter.com/HAaiyo58Yl
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) June 17, 2024
Jordan Montgomery manages the White Sox
Diamondbacks starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery overcame two innings in which he gave up six runs.
He struck out seven White Sox batters over five innings, allowing no earned runs (one unearned). His changeup was particularly difficult to catch, resulting in 10 whiffs on 12 swings.
“I threw a good changeup and a curveball, a good four-seam fastball, and I created some opportunities,” Montgomery said. “I just tried to keep attacking.”
Lovullo said Montgomery was aggressive and had great finishing touches to his pitches.
When asked if he felt Sunday’s game was a step in the right direction, Montgomery said only that he was just trying to keep adding wins.
Lovullo took Montgomery out after 84 pitches on Monday to allow the relief pitchers time to rest.
It’s been a while since the Diamondbacks last played a close game — they beat the Padres 4-3 on June 6 — and each of their next nine games have been decided by five runs or more, so there haven’t been many opportunities for players like Paul Sewald, Ryan Thompson and Justin Martinez to have much of an impact.
Martinez’s 15-game scoreless streak ended Sunday when Chicago’s Tommy Pham hit him with a one-run single to cut the lead to 12-2.
Diamondbacks on the road
Arizona begins a three-game series on Tuesday against the Washington Nationals, who are half a game behind Arizona in the wild-card race.
The Diamondbacks then return to Philadelphia for the first time since winning the National League championship for a three-game weekend against the Phillies.