D-backs’ offense leads the way in Cactus League win over Padres
Mar 13, 2021, 5:00 PM | Updated: Mar 14, 2021, 7:01 pm
(Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)
PEORIA – The Arizona Diamondbacks’ offense shone on a dreary day in Peoria on Saturday in a 6-3 win over the San Diego Padres.
Centerfielder Ketel Marte was 1-3 at the plate with a leadoff dinger on the first pitch of the day against Padres pitcher Adrian Morejon, his first home run of the spring.
The Pike has been rolling in seven spring training games, hitting a ridiculous .500 with a 1.100 OPS, four doubles, four RBI and two walks.
“I think he looks fantastic with his results,” said Torey Lovullo on the work Marte has put in at the plate. “Those are the things that a lot of people see. There’s slug, there’s home runs. But he’s getting himself into some good hitting counts, and he is making good decisions on balls in the hitting zone that he is looking for.”
While questions still surround whether we will see Marte play the majority of his time in center field or the infield, there is no doubt that Lovullo will find every opportunity to give the 27-year-old switch hitter as many at bats as possible this season.
“What can you say about a guy that leads off the game and hits a solo home run and before you sit down you’re up 1-0. There’s nothing better than that,” Lovullo said. “We know that he has those capabilities, and that’s a special swing for him today after several days off.”
In his first game back from a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, outfielder Tim Locastro looked ready for the regular season. He went 2-2 in two plate appearances with a pair of singles.
“I was completely bored for the last 10 days. I was stuck in a house for 240 straight hours. I wanted to be on the field more than anything,” said Locastro on being away from the team due to COVID protocols. “Seeing my teammates, coaches, it was like the first day of school for me, and I had a blast.”
Locastro’s sabbatical included playing Monopoly and Scrabble with his parents and attempting to reach 1,500 pushups in a single morning. However, the team leader in hit-by-pitch expressed how ready he was to rejoin his team. “The field opened up at seven o’clock today, I was sitting in the parking lot at 6:30 just waiting to get to 7.”
“I think today as far as playing I had a ton of adrenaline, and I would say I was a little nervous. I had butterflies, but I just had to get the butterflies going in the right direction and then once we got on the field baseball was baseball again. It was awesome being out there.”
Shortstop Josh Rojas continues to stay hot in Cactus League play, going 2-4 with a double against the shift, a single, a stolen base and a run scored. He has now hit safely in eight of his last 10 games with two doubles, three homers, six RBI and four walks. He’s currently batting .375.
Second baseman Josh VanMeter had a big three-run home run off the foul pole in right field in the sixth inning that broke the tie and put the D-backs up for good. VanMeter was 1-2 with a walk, homer and three RBI.
From the mound, pitcher J.B. Bukauskas continues to look impressive as a reliever. The Ashburn, Virginia, native struck out the side in the fifth inning. In four games and four innings of work this year, Bukauskas hasn’t allowed a hit or a run and has nine strikeouts with no walks.
“I’m just trying to focus on the things that they’re giving me to work on on a daily basis,” said Bukauskas in regard to the case he’s making to be part of this roster.
“I know it’s very cliché, but everybody says trust the process and everything that they’re having me work on. Just saying focused on that more than anything else and let the chips fall where they may.”
UP NEXT
The D-backs will take on the San Francisco Giants on Sunday at Salt River Fields. Caleb Smith is listed as the probable starter for Arizona. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. and can be heard on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM.
Smith is 0-1 in Cactus League play with a 10.80 ERA in two starts.