A look back at the Arizona Diamondbacks’ wacky week

“In baseball, you get hot, you get cold, but you’ve got to weather the storm,” Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eric Chavez said after Sunday’s 6-1 win over the Colorado Rockies.

Given the week the D-backs just survived, there’s frankly no better way to put it.

There were cold stretches, hot stretches, weather storms, lengthy delays, shutouts, blown saves, marathon affairs, blowouts and just about everything in between.

Yet at the conclusion of play Sunday, the D-backs somehow, someway found themselves atop the National League West by a season-high 4.5 games.

Here’s a look back at what transpired over the last seven days. In a word, it was wacky.

July 1, 2013 — D-backs fall to the Mets 5-4 in 13 innings

Cody Ross’ home run in the 13th inning looked to be enough to snap Arizona’s three-game losing streak, but New York had other plans. Josh Collmenter’s bid for a fifth extra-inning win was denied when Andrew Brown sent an 0-2 fastball to the left centerfield gap for a walk-off, two-run single.

The D-backs bullpen gave up all five runs in the game, including closer J.J. Putz, who in the ninth inning blew his first save opportunity since May 7.

July 2, 2013 — D-backs get routed by Mets 9-1

Patrick Corbin walked off the mound in the bottom of the seventh down just 2-1 with the bases loaded. Unfortunately for the 23-year-old southpaw, he never had the chance to finish the inning out.

A one hour and 41 minute rain delay put a halt to the occasion, and when the game resumed the Mets tacked on seven more runs against the D-backs bullpen to turn the close contest into a laugher. It was Corbin’s first loss of 2013.

July 3, 2013 — D-backs edge Matt Harvey, Mets 4-2

The D-backs had to wait out an hour and 51 minute rain delay before facing New York ace Matt Harvey, but it was well worth it.

Cody Ross’ three-run home run in the sixth combined with Eric Chavez’s RBI single in the seventh was more than enough offense for Randall Delgado. The D-backs right-hander was terrific, allowing two runs over seven innings.

The win snapped the D-backs’ season-high, five-game losing streak.

July 4, 2013 — D-backs survive two blown saves, Mets 5-4 in 15 innings

The Empire State was treated to some early fireworks on Independence Day.

Ian Kennedy was stellar on the mound for the D-backs, but once again the game was decided by the bullpens.

Despite taking leads in the 13th and 14th innings off of RBI singles by Cody Ross and Martin Prado, relievers Heath Bell and Chaz Roe found a way to cough up the game by allowing game-tying home runs to Anthony Recker and Kirk Nieuwenhuis — the first time in Mets’ history two game-tying HRs had been hit in the 13th inning or later.

However, infielder Cliff Pennington (8-of-11 at the plate in extra innings) found a way to salvage the victory for the D-backs, as his 15th inning single broke a 4-all tie for good.

It was the second longest game (five hours and 46 minutes)
in team history.

July 5, 2013 — Skaggs, D-backs shut out Rockies 5-0

On an emotional night at Chase Field in which the D-backs honored the 19 fallen Granite Mountain Hotshot firefighters with a pre-game ceremony, 21-year-old Tyler Skaggs stole the show with eight innings of shutout baseball in front of a sellout crowd of 45,505.

Skaggs, who retired 12 in a row at one point, became only the second D-backs pitcher to toss at least eight scoreless innings within his first 10 big league starts. Geraldo Guzman was the only other D-back to achieve the feat.

July 6, 2013 — Miley, D-backs rout Rockies 11-1

Before the contest, starting pitcher Patrick Corbin and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt were officially named to the 2013 All-Star Game.

Between the white lines, the D-backs All-Star first baseman had no problem showing off his offensive prowess, as he set a new career high with his 21st home run in 2013.

Goldschmidt got plenty of help from Wade Miley, also. The Arizona left-hander gave up one run over eight innings, and delivered a big three-run double in the second inning.

The 10-run margin of victory was Kirk Gibson and Co.’s largest in 2013.

July 7, 2013 — Corbin, D-backs dominate Rockies 6-1

Aside from a Jonathan Herrera home run in the eighth inning, Corbin pitched like the ace of the staff (one run over eight innings with a career-high 10 strikeouts).

The first-time All-Star retired 20 of 21 at one point, and Aaron Hill, Eric Chavez and Paul Goldschmidt provided more than enough run support at the plate.

The win kept the D-backs at 4.5 games up in the division with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers coming to town Monday. It also extend the team’s win streak to five games — tied for a season high.