The Diamondbacks big road trip to California didn’t get off to such a great start after the D-backs dropped game one and two of the series against the Giants at AT&T Park.
Starting pitching was excellent, with Patrick Corbin, Clay Buchholz and Zack Godley going deep into each game and Steven Souza Jr. was able to come through for the offense in the finale to give Arizona the boost they need heading to LA.
August 27: Giants win 2-0
August 28: Giants win 1-0
August 29: Diamondbacks win 3-1
Superman aka Souza Jr.
Steven Souza Jr. was the leadoff man in the lineup for the finale against the Giants on Wednesday and didn’t disappoint. His bat sparked and his defense was unbelievable as he helped snap the skid the D-backs offense found itself in during the series.
Souza Jr. started the night with a home run in the third, then in the fourth had an RBI double that enabled the D-backs to work with a lead.
Not only did he come through at the plate though, he also made a couple impressive plays in right.
Absolutely incredible. #SouzBot pic.twitter.com/gUPLGg4bPF
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) August 30, 2018
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no it’s just Souza Jr.
Godley stellar in finale
Zack Godley rounded out an impressive series for D-backs’ starting pitchers. The bats couldn’t get going on Monday and Tuesday, but Wednesday’s heroics offensively and defensively by Souza Jr. helped back Godley’s outing.
The righty went 7 2/3 innings allowing only two hits with nine strikeouts. Archie Bradley replaced Godley with two men on, and gave up a single to Giants’ Andrew McCutchen tallying a run to Godley’s final line, but the bullpen was able to complete the job and Godley notched his 14th win.
The quality start was needed for Godley after he had struggled in his previous two starts.
Buchholz solid again
Clay Buchholz had yet another great start on Tuesday in San Francisco, but the Diamondbacks’ bats couldn’t produce any runs and the bullpen gave up the walk-off hit in the ninth, squandering Buchholz’s outing.
The righty went seven innings allowing just five hits in a pitching duel with Giants’ Madison Bumgarner. Buchholz threw 91 pitches, 58 for strikes.
Clay Buchholz did his part in holding the #Giants scoreless despite the end result by throwing 7 scoreless innings for the @dbacks. #Ace #GenerationDbacks pic.twitter.com/nCSXUqZ8rF
— Bally Sports Arizona (@BALLYSPORTSAZ) August 29, 2018
In his last seven games, Buchholz is 5-1 with a 1.68 ERA.
Corbin reaches 200 Ks
Patrick Corbin was great in his start on Monday, but it was another instance where the bats couldn’t back up their pitcher.
Corbin went seven innings allowing two runs on four hits with nine strikeouts. The southpaw gave up his first home run since June 16 to Steven Duggar in the second inning which would give the Giants the only two runs they needed to get the win as Chris Stratton silenced the D-backs in the box.
Patrick Corbin is the 6th pitcher in #Dbacks history to reach the 200-strikeout mark. 💯💯 #GenerationDbacks pic.twitter.com/bjUwZ0Kqtr
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) August 28, 2018
Corbin did reach a season milestone on Monday. The lefty notched 200 strikeouts, moving into 12th all-time in single season strikeouts with 207. He is the sixth D-backs’ pitcher to surpass 200 Ks, joining Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, Dan Haren and current teammates Zack Greinke and Robbie Ray.
Next up
The Diamondbacks will travel to SoCal to take on the Dodgers in what is sure to be an exciting four-game series in LA. The D-backs hold a one game lead on the Dodgers heading into the weekend.
