Diamondbacks look forward to series with Houston after struggling against Dodgers
The D-backs won two games against the A’s before heading to Oakland for two more games
August 3, 2020
The Los Angeles Dodgers arrived in Arizona amidst a massive heat wave and managed to make it feel hotter inside Chase Field after scorching the Diamondbacks three out of four games last week.
Prior to game three of the series, the Diamondbacks thought they had found Clayton Kershaw’s kryptonite as the team’s MLB Pressbox website showed that they had managed to hit eight home runs off of the dominate left-handed pitcher in their last five meetings.
However, it was a different story in his 2020 debut as Kershaw struck out six and refused to let any D-backs cross the plate after 5 2/3 innings pitched.
The Diamondbacks have only hit two home runs this season.
In the last two games of their series, the Dodgers outscored Arizona in embarrassing fashion, 14-2.
The D-backs received a much-needed day off as they prepare to host Houston in a 3-game series beginning Tuesday night.
After their 3-0 loss in Sunday night’s game, Christian Walker discussed what the day off means for the team and how it can benefit them all.
“If nothing else it’s been a reset button for us. Get back on the offensive side of things. Get back in the driver’s seat. Play the game we want to play. Let the game come to us but be who we are and play up to the level that we’re capable of,” Walker said.
Walker followed up by voicing optimism about the future.
“Frustrated with ourselves. Not doing what we know we are capable of. Not executing when we want to execute. But the beauty is tomorrow – it’s a new day. We are whoever we want to be and we’re looking forward to it,” said Walker.
Minimal offense seems to be the primary cause of Arizona’s early-season struggles. Walker, Ketel Marte and Starling Marte all have batting averages at or above .300. Through 10 games this season, the trio has combined for 32 of the team’s 61 hits and 10 RBI. The rest of the team has 14 RBI combined. As a team, the D-backs batting average is just .192, 28th worst in the league, ahead of only the Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates.
The first game of the series against Houston will pit Madison Bumgarner against the Astros Framber Valdez.
