ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Home not where the wins are for D-backs

May 22, 2012, 12:01 PM | Updated: 1:02 pm

Long road trips are a part of baseball that most would
like to do without.

Sure, in the big leagues, team personnel travel on
chartered flights, stay in five-star hotels and eat in the
finest restaurants, but there’s still comfort and relief
in getting home.

The Arizona Diamondbacks returned from a three-city,
seven-game roadie to the seemingly friendly confines of
Chase Field to host the NL West-leading Los Angeles
Dodgers Monday night. But it was the Dodgers who enjoyed
their surroundings in a convincing 6-1 victory.

The home loss for the D-backs was anything but an anomaly.
Chase Field has become a house of horrors for Kirk
Gibson’s team.

Including the postseason, the Diamondbacks went 27-6 over
their last 33 games at home during the 2011 season. That
trend continued during this season’s opening weekend, when
Arizona swept the San Francisco Giants in a three-game
set.

But it’s fallen apart since then, as Kirk Gibson’s team
has gone 4-13 in its last 17 home dates. They’re 1-8 in
their last 9.

The numbers during the nine-game stretch are just ugly.
Arizona has been outscored 59-27. They’ve been outhomered
16-5. The D-backs are hitting just .232 as a team and
averaging 3.0 runs per game.

The pitching numbers have been worse. Arizona hurlers
have compiled a 6.11 ERA and if you take out a solid
pitching performance by Patrick Corbin, Bryan Shaw and
David Hernandez against San Francisco on May 11 (the
Diamondbacks’ one home win in this stretch), that number
balloons to 6.75.

With the loss Monday night, the Diamondbacks’ deficit grew
to 10.5 games. Despite constant comparisons between this
year’s team and last year’s that won the National League
West, the 2011 D-backs never trailed by more than 6.5
games.

“We’ve just got to start playing better and doing things
better in this clubhouse before we start worrying about
somebody else” shortstop Willie Bloomquist said Monday.
“We’re capable, we’ve just got to get on a roll.”

That roll may as well start now against Los Angeles, a
team that appeared vulnerable when star center fielder
Matt Kemp was placed in the disabled list last week. But
without their All-Star, Don Mattingly’s club has gone 6-2
and has won five straight.

Comments

Comment guidelines: No name-calling, personal attacks, profanity, or insults. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate comments by reporting abuse.
comments powered by Disqus

Arizona Diamondbacks

Blake Snell...

Associated Press

Blake Snell and San Francisco Giants agree to $62 million, 2-year contract, AP source says

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $62 million, two-year contract.

5 hours ago

Zac Gallen...

Damon Allred

Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen named Opening Day starter

The Arizona Diamondbacks named Zac Gallen the starter for Opening Day on March 28 when the Colorado Rockies come to Chase Field.

7 hours ago

Merrill Kelly...

Alex Weiner

Diamondbacks’ Merrill Kelly, Zac Gallen building strong outings with Opening Day near

Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly followed Zac Gallen's scoreless outing Sunday with one of his own Monday against the Athletics.

8 hours ago

Alek Thomas, Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder...

Kevin Zimmerman

D-backs’ Alek Thomas found confidence with just 2 swings in 2023 playoffs

Two Alek Thomas home runs during the 2023 playoff run for the Arizona Diamondbacks helped build his confidence. You can guess one of them.

11 hours ago

Alek Thomas...

Alex Weiner

NL West preview: Where do the Diamondbacks fit in a new-look division?

No division was more prevalent in the news cycle than the NL West. Here's a preview of the Dodgers, D-backs, Giants, Padres and Giants.

16 hours ago

Corbin Martin...

Alex Weiner

Diamondbacks option RHPs Corbin Martin, Slade Cecconi in final week of spring training

The Diamondbacks continued to clear up roster battles by optioning pitchers Corbin Martin, Slade Cecconi and Blake Walston Triple-A.

16 hours ago

Home not where the wins are for D-backs