Pavin Smith drives in 6 runs as Diamondbacks rout Cardinals
Apr 23, 2024, 8:43 PM
Arizona Diamondbacks' Pavin Smith drops his bat after hitting a grand slam during the sixth inning of the team's baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Scott Kane)
(AP Photo/Scott Kane)
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Pavin Smith hit a grand slam and drove in a career-high six runs to help the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 14-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals Tuesday night.
Christian Walker and Kevin Newman also homered for Arizona, which leads the majors with 148 runs.
Tommy Henry (1-1) tossed six effective innings in his first win in five starts this season. The 26-year-old left-hander gave up one run on five hits and struck out six with one walk.
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Willson Contreras homered for St. Louis, which has lost five of six.
Smith, recalled from Triple-A Reno on Friday, hit his second career grand slam in the sixth inning. He also had a two-run double in the fifth. His previous grand slam was in St. Louis last season.
“I feel good here,” Smith said. “I like the fans and it’s a cool stadium. It’s got a lot of history. It might be just a coincidence. But I do feel a little more comfortable here.”
Walker snapped a 1-1 tie with a three-run blast off Steven Matz in the third inning, his fourth of the season.
“I owe it to this team and the lineup to produce a certain amount of slug and I hold myself to a high standard,” Walker said.
The Diamondbacks have scored 14 or more runs three times already this season.
“Hitting is contagious,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “When they lock in, they can put up crooked numbers.”
Arizona scored 13 runs after two outs.
“When people are getting hits in front of you and people are on base it puts pressure on the pitcher,” Smith said. “Then everything kind of snowballs.”
Newman highlighted a six-run outburst in the fifth with a two-run homer, his first of the year.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr, had three hits for the defending National League champions, who pounded out 15 hits in the win. He has hit safely in all 10 of the Diamondbacks’ road games this season.
Matz (1-2) allowed seven runs on six hits over 4 1/3 innings. He finished with four strikeouts and three walks.
“I actually thought it was one of his better outings,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “For the most part, I thought he actually did a pretty decent job. It didn’t go our way.”
Arizona outfielder Randal Grichuk recorded his 1,000th career hit on a single in the fifth.
Contreras left the game in the fifth inning with a sore hand. He is listed as day-to-day.
