ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Despite loss of personnel, Diamondbacks offense starts strong

Apr 5, 2019, 8:58 PM | Updated: 11:31 pm
Adam Jones #10 of the Arizona Diamondbacks rounds the bases after hitting a solo home-run against t...
Adam Jones #10 of the Arizona Diamondbacks rounds the bases after hitting a solo home-run against the Boston Red Sox during the fifth inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on April 05, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

PHOENIX — It’s a small sample size, sure.

But already, one aspect of the Diamondbacks that had some pundits concerned heading into the season has been arguably the team’s strong suit early on, and the D-backs continued that trend by scoring 15 runs on the Boston Red Sox in their home opener on Friday.

In the 15-8 win, Arizona hit five home runs and had a stretch of four straight innings of one, four, two and seven runs scored. They chased starter Rick Porcello after just 4.2 innings.

The early returns from Arizona’s offense are encouraging, given that the story of the offseason for GM Mike Hazen and co. was that they traded All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to the St. Louis Cardinals and lost another All-Star, A.J. Pollock, in free agency. And already, Jake Lamb is injured and Steven Souza Jr. is out for the year.

“Scoring runs is a very hard thing to do in this game,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “It’s when you’re kind of protecting both sides of the turf — the pitcher versus the hitter — it’s the funnest part of the day for me, and when we come out on top the way we have early, it makes you feel like you’re doing a lot of things right.”

Lovullo said part of the offensive success has come with patient approaches at the plate, as well as thorough preparation by new hitting coach Darnell Coles, assistant hitting coach Eric Hinske and run production coordinator Drew Hedman.

Coming into the game Friday, the Diamondbacks ranked third in MLB with a team batting average of .280, third in total bases with 141 and fifth in OPS at .850. They were also fourth in runs with 41, but their 15 runs Friday gives them 56 on the season to pass Texas’ 45.

In eight games so far, the Diamondbacks have scored fewer than five runs in a game only one time, and that was in a series-finale 4-1 loss to the Padres on Wednesday. They’ve already had two games scoring double-digit runs.

Even in a poor opening four-game series in Los Angeles in which the D-backs were outscored 43-22, Arizona’s offense scored 5, 5, 5 and 7 runs in that order.

Part of the formula has been Adam Jones.

Jones hit his fourth home run of the season on Friday, then roped a long double deep into center field. He now has an OPS on the young season of 1.239.

“Just doing what I normally try and do,” Jones said. “Just trying to have good at-bats, hit the ball hard. This is not out of the norm for me.”

Yet, the 33-year-old Jones didn’t sign until March 11.

“I think he’s taken that personally,” Lovullo said. “He wants to go out and show people that there’s still a lot of life left and there’s still a lot of good baseball left. That’s what I think. But what I do know is somebody that’s stepping up to the plate and impacting the game in a big way.

“And I got used to watching him from the opposite dugout, and I’m just glad he’s on our side and I get to watch him from the home dugout now.”

Jones was one of many free agents this offseason who didn’t get a contract until much later than he might’ve expected or preferred.

It may have been a surprise to some that Jones didn’t sign until March 11 — for a reported $3 million base salary, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale — given that he hit .281 with 15 home runs and 63 RBI last year in Baltimore and is a five-time All-Star.

“[He’s a] very good player with the track record of doing great things at great times, and for me, no part of his game has fallen off,” Lovullo said. “You can see what he’s been doing for us and it doesn’t surprise me. Our front office did a great job of waiting that out and getting the perfect guy. We targeted him, and thankful he’s here.”

Then there’s Ketel Marte, who hit two home runs on Friday — including his first career grand slam — for his second and third dingers of the season. He had 14 last year, as well as an MLB-leading 12 triples.

But David Peralta went 2-for-5 on Friday, continuing what has perhaps been the most impressive individual early-season performance of all the Diamondbacks hitters. Peralta entered the year with some expectation — given the absence of his former teammates Goldschmidt and Pollock — and has been tasked with being a go-to guy for run production.

Peralta is now hitting .447 on the year with seven doubles, which is the most in MLB.

Eight games down, 154 to go. But so far, it looks like Arizona knows how to hit.

Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte (4) celebrates his grand slam against the Boston Red Sox with Eduardo Escobar, left, during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte connects for a grand slam against the Boston Red Sox during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte, center, smiles as he stands at the top of the dugout for a curtain call after his grand slam against the Boston Red Sox during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Yoan Lopez celebrates the final out against the Boston Red Sox in the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) 
              Boston Red Sox pitcher Brian Johnson reacts after giving up a grand slam to Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
            Boston Red Sox's Eduardo Nunez, a utility player, throws a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Boston Red Sox's Mitch Moreland, left, celebrates his three-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks with Xander Bogaerts (2) during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Adam Jones (10) and relief pitcher Yoan Lopez (50) celebrate their win over the Boston Red Sox after a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Boston Red Sox's Mookie Betts, right, celebrates his two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks with Andrew Benintendi, left, during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Adam Jones #10 of the Arizona Diamondbacks rounds the bases after hitting a solo home-run against the Boston Red Sox during the fifth inning of the MLB game at Chase Field on April 05, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Boston Red Sox pitcher Brian Johnson reacts after giving up a grand slam to Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte during the sixth inning of an opening day baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Rick Porcello throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning of an opening day baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Boston Red Sox's Mookie Betts (50) and Andrew Benintendi, right, wait to bat against the Arizona Diamondbacks prior to a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks starter Zack Godley throws the first pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' David Peralta runs onto the field during player introductions prior to a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' David Peralta dives safely back into first base after hitting a single against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Boston Red Sox's Blake Swihart, right, celebrates his run scored against the Arizona Diamondbacks with teammate Mookie Betts, left, during the third inning of an opening day baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers gets set to throw to first base to get Arizona Diamondbacks' Jarrod Dyson out during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Ketel Marte celebrates his home run against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte watches the flight of his home run against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks' Zack Godley connects for a pop fly single against the Boston Red Sox during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Boston Red Sox's second baseman Brock Holt (12), center fielder Mookie Betts, center, and right fielder J.D. Martinez, right, are unable to track down a pop fly single hit by Arizona Diamondbacks' Zack Godley during the fourth inning of an opening day baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Boston Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart, right, runs after a pitch that got away as umpire Marty Foster (60) looks on during the fourth inning of an opening day baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Rick Porcello paces in the dugout after being pulled from a baseball game during the fifth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eduardo Escobar fields a ground ball before throwing out Boston Red Sox's Xander Bogaerts at first base during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zack Godley throws to a Boston Red Sox batter during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 5, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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