PHOENIX — Corbin Carroll capped an vital weekend collection by turning into the fourth rookie in AL/NL historical past with at the least 20 residence runs and 40 stolen bases within the D-backs’ 5-2 win over the Reds on Sunday afternoon at Chase Field.
Carroll, one of many frontrunners for the NL Rookie of the Year Award, went 6-for-12 within the four-game collection with 4 extra-base hits, together with a go-ahead residence run in Thursday’s 3-2 win — his first homer since July 23.
The 23-year-old Carroll joined Mike Trout (2012), Mitchell Page (1977) and Tommie Agee (1966) as the one rookies with a 20/40 season. Carroll can be the primary D-back to have a 20/40 season since Eric Byrnes in 2007.
Carroll, in typical trend, performed down the significance of his history-making season. His predominant focus is to get Arizona into the playoffs for the primary time since 2017.
“It’s cool. It’s a nice even number,” stated Carroll, who flashed elite velocity together with his 30.4 ft/sec dash across the bases throughout an tried inside-the-park residence run within the fifth inning — foiled by Elly De La Cruz’s insane 99.7 mph relay throw to the plate. “But, there’s a lot more season to go. We’re just focused on the next one.”
The D-backs took three of 4 video games in opposition to the Reds, who’re additionally within the hunt for an NL Wild Card spot. Arizona holds a 1 1/2-game lead over Cincinnati (which holds the tiebreaker after successful the season collection) and San Francisco, following its 8-5 win over Atlanta on Sunday evening, for the third spot.
Arizona, which snapped a nine-game shedding streak to start the month of August, has received 11 of its previous 14 video games.
“I think they focus on the right thing,” supervisor Torey Lovullo stated. “They know where to improve, they turn the page the next day and we come out ready to go. So the little things add up to big things for me all the time. I think that’s one of our personalities [in the clubhouse].”
Lovullo stated his group was nonetheless feeling the results of Saturday’s irritating 8-7 loss, which gave the Reds the season collection win and the tiebreaker benefit.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. supplied the spark within the finale together with his twentieth residence run of the season within the seventh inning to tie the sport at 2.
“The team needed a jolt of energy,” Gurriel stated in Spanish. “It was the right second.
“This series gives us plenty of confidence for what’s ahead.”
The D-backs scored three runs as they retook the lead within the eighth, however Lovullo stated with out rookie Slade Cecconi’s efficiency on the mound, the remainder wouldn’t have occurred.
“It was all triggered because of Slade,” Lovullo stated. “It was the fastball command, quality secondary stuff. He just did a really nice job and deserved a better fate, but we just couldn’t push ahead until late in the game.”
Cecconi held the Reds to 1 run on three hits to go together with no walks and 5 strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings in a no-decision. It was his longest outing in 5 video games (three begins) and helped a D-backs bullpen that logged six innings in Saturday’s loss.
“I’ve been locating it well. In, out, up, down, wherever it seems like there’s space open for it,” stated Cecconi, who has a 2.57 ERA and 14 strikeouts in opposition to simply 4 walks, with three of them coming in his Aug. 16 begin in opposition to the Rockies.
“As long as I get ahead with it, too, not falling behind guys. When you fall behind guys, it’s a lot easier to hit. So getting strike one, getting strike two, as quick as possible with that pitch gives a lot less room for those guys to, you know, take hacks.”
The D-backs are going to wish to proceed this constant play, because the postseason street doesn’t get simpler this week. Arizona will play 5 groups within the midst of playoff chases – beginning with a three-game set at Dodger Stadium earlier than returning residence for 3 vs. the AL East-leading Orioles at Chase Field.
“I want the guys to enjoy this,” Lovullo stated. “We will, but at some point tonight, we got to turn the page and get ready for a really good three-game series in L.A.”
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