PHOENIX — The roller coaster ride has gotten underway for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Earlier this month, the D-backs went on a seven-game winning streak, right before they dropped their next six, but amazingly maintained their lead in the West over the San Francisco Giants.
Sunday afternoon Arizona completed their weekend series with the San Diego Padres with a sweep, keeping them on their current six-game win streak and moving a full four games over the Giants for the West crown.
Ian Kennedy got the D-backs rolling on their current streak and kept it intact with a seven-inning performance en-route to his National League leading 17th win.
San Diego scored their only run of the day on an Orlando Hundson home run in the second. Otherwise, the Padres’ were kept in check, falling to Arizona, 6-1.
In the home half of the second, the game was quickly tied up by Collin Cowgill who hit his first career home run as a professional to tie things 1-all. Cowgill would go on to have a perfect 4-for -4 afternoon, helping the D-backs by contributing two of Arizona’s six runs.
A third straight home run in the bottom of the third by Aaron Hill extended Arizona’s lead at 3-1.
However, trailing by just two-runs heading into the eighth, the Padres’ were still within striking distance of upsetting the hot D-backs.
But Arizona would quickly double their run total through seven to go up 6-1 to take their sixth straight victory from the Padres’.
Paul Goldschmidt took a one-out walk, beginning the rally. Miguel Montero followed with a single, putting Goldschmidt at second with Cowgill hitting his first double to drive home Goldschmidt for a 4-1 lead.
The D-backs offense was not quite done yet as Ryan Roberts stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded after Erik Hamren was intentionally walked. Back-to-back walks allowed Montero to score the D-backs fifth run.
Aaron Hill completed his 3-for-5 afternoon with an RBI-single to the Padres shortstop, Jason Bartlett.
Zach Duke entered the ninth retiring all three Padres in order.
Arizona will now open a three-game set with the Colorado Rockies to possibly increase their lead further in the West, which is something they will desperately want to do. After that, they travel to San Francisco for a Labor Day weekend series against the Giants that could determine how soon the D-backs could potentially celebrate or if this division title will be decided by the last games of the season.
