Diamondbacks starter Zack Godley taking things ‘one pitch at a time’

Nearly a month has passed since the Arizona Diamondbacks put an end to what was a miserable stretch in May.

The team went 8-19, while individual contributors also struggled, including starting pitcher Zack Godley.

After going 4-1 in April, Godley hit a wall in May, finishing the month 1-3 with a 4.86 ERA while allowing 18 earned runs on 35 hits and walked 20 batters.

However, the 28-year-old has turned it around since the start of June as he currently sits at 4-1 on the month and back on pace to win 18 games this season.

Godley explained how he managed to right the ship to 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Burns & Gambo on Wednesday, and it didn’t involve any major changes to his mechanics.

“I try to take it one pitch at a time,” Godley said. “I’m trying to let everything of with what happened earlier in the year and move forward. I’ve been working on a few things physically, but for the most part its been trying to build a rhythm.

“I’m not trying to overlook anything and build a rhythm to throw strikes.”

Part of Godley’s rhythm has come with his spike curve — a remastered version of the knuckleball he learned from Nationals pitcher Jeremy Hellickson.

Godley said his grip is similar to the knuckleball, but he leaves his middle finger extended to throw it like a normal curve.

The pitch is difficult for batters, part of the reason Godley used it 43 times Tuesday against the Miami Marlins.

“It is my best pitch for sure,” Godley said. “Guys don’t see it very well, so I get a lot of bad swings on it. Whether they are swinging and missing or if they are making bad contact, it’s a pitch that’s worked well for me when I really need it.”

In five innings Tuesday, Godley gave up two earned runs on six hits and struck out four batters. He also walked four more.

It wasn’t an ideal outing, but it was a milestone for Godley, as he picked up his career-high ninth win.

“Anytime we can get a win is always a good night,” Godley said. “For me personally, it was nice to go out there and give the team a chance to win.”

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