Arizona Diamondbacks take series over Giants: By the Numbers

The Arizona Diamondbacks hadn’t won a road series since last July, but this season is already very, very different than the last.

With a 5-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants, the D-backs sealed the series, 3-1, in AT&T Park Sunday afternoon.

Jeremy Hellickson earned his first win in Sedona Red, ceding eight hits in 6.2 innings pitched with only one earned run and two strikeouts.

Paul Goldschmidt led the offense early for Arizona, belting a two-run homer in the first inning — his fifth in 13 games to open the season:

Paul Goldschmidt, still good at hitting baseballs: http://t.co/v5YAvuoulf pic.twitter.com/V56t5TpzKd

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 19, 2015

The D-backs added three runs in the third inning against San Francisco’s Tim Hudson, who hit catcher Jordan Pacheco with bases loaded for the odd RBI. Chris Owings also lent a two-run single to put Arizona up 5-1. Hudson left the game after pitching 5.0 innings and giving up five earned runs on six hits.

Arizona’s defense stood out, backing up Hellickson’s eight surrendered hits — two of which were comebackers that nicked the pitcher, then turned into double plays.

Outfielder A.J. Pollock also made a highlight-reel diving catch in the bottom of the second:

Lay out, A.J. Pollock! #WebGem: http://t.co/tm2gyNkIHl pic.twitter.com/gMazN9kk1m

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) April 19, 2015

Hellickson would hold the Giants scoreless through five straight innings before turning the mound over to Brad Ziegler and Addison Reed to close.

The win puts Arizona’s road record at 4-3 so far this season. What did it look like, by the numbers?

15

Goldschmidt’s two RBI put him at 15 on the season (13 games).

He now leads the National League in RBI, just one ahead of previous leader Adrian Gonzalez.

1

Yasmany Tomas had his first Major League hit; a single as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning.

3

Arizona made three double-plays throughout the win, two of which came in back-to-back innings.

.356

Pollock went 3-for-5 with two runs and a .356 average in the win.

He was 9-for-17 in the series.

45

San Francisco’s Hudson extended his league-leading hitless streak to 45 at-bats.

0

Outfielder Mark Trumbo’s seven-game hitting streak ended Sunday, as he went 0-for-4 at the plate.

7-6

The Diamondbacks have now opened their first set of home/away series with a 7-6 record.

In 2014, the D-backs started their first 13 games with a 4-9 record, and lost the 14th to drop to 4-10. It took them 25 games to notch their seventh win last season.

Ironically, the San Francisco Giants currently sit where Arizona once did…at 4-10.