Diamondbacks home runs spark wins, team records
Oct 6, 2011, 1:24 AM | Updated: 6:17 am
The Arizona Diamondbacks are out to take the series back to Milwaukee and apparently set some regular and postseason franchise records along the way.
When Paul Goldschmidt crushed a grand slam Tuesday, fans couldn’t believe it. When Ryan Robert smacked another one Wednesday, the stadium went wild and the D-backs entered the record books.
Goldschmidt said he was looking for something over the plate during his at bat.
Roberts was just trying to stay within himself.
“Try to stay relaxed, try to breath [and] not try to do to much,” Roberts said of the situation.
They are the fifth team to hit two grand slams in a playoff series and only the second team to hit a grand slam in back-to-back postseason games.
The last time a grand slam was hit in back-to-back games during the postseason was in Games 1 and 2 of the 1977 NLCS between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The blasts were hit by Ron Cey and Dusty Baker, both of the Dodgers.
But the D-backs weren’t done there.
When Chris Young sent one over the left-center fence a few pitches later, he, along with Roberts, became the first D-backs in franchise history to hit back-to-back homers in a postseason game.
Young is now the organization’s leading home run hitter in postseason play.
“That’s cool,” a surprised Young said when he was made aware of the feat. “I’ve been here for quite a few years now. I’ve been able to experience the ups and downs of seasons. I respect that and I take it as a compliment.”
And for those keeping count at home, the D-backs have hit four grand slams in their last four home games. That works out to one per game. If the current score holds, you can bet the Brewers are praying this kind of action stays in Arizona rather than accompanying the D-backs for Game 5.
Any particular reason they are having success with the bases loaded?
Manager Kirk Gibson doesn’t have any specific answer. He just knows he’s liked the outcome recently.
“The key is to get the bases loaded,” Gibson said. “I hope we get to come back here and maybe do it for a fifth time.”
