By the numbers: Diamondbacks go 4-2 on divisional road trip to get back to .500

The Arizona Diamondbacks finished up a road trip on Sunday with a win over the San Diego Padres, bringing the team’s record to 4-2 on the trip and 45-45 overall.

It’s the first time the D-backs have been .500 since June 21 and second time since April 16.

The last time the Diamondbacks had a winning record was back in the first week of the regular season on April 3 when the team was 4-3 after season-opening series against the Colorado Rockies and New York Yankees.

Getting above the mark won’t be easy, as the Atlanta Braves — current owners of the National League’s top wild card spot — come to the Valley for a four-game series at Chase Field, beginning Monday. The D-backs are two games back of the final wild card spot.

By the numbers: D-backs’ 4-2 divisional road trip

50 runs scored

The 50 runs scored by the Diamondbacks is the most in MLB this month by seven in six games. Several teams have played seven games, and the most runs among those teams is 41.

On a series-by-series basis, the D-backs outscored the Dodgers 26-13 and the Padres 24-16.

Arizona put up crooked numbers in 13 of the 55 innings, including 14 runs across each of the final innings in the Padres series.

15 home runs

The D-backs hit 15 home runs on the road trip, more than any other team in MLB this month. Christian Walker led MLB with five home runs during that span, good for a MLB-best 11 RBIs.

Christian Walker continues to crush baseballs at Dodger Stadium, but he can't put a finger on why he has so much success in this park compared to others. pic.twitter.com/O7l9N5JUBf

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) July 4, 2024

Walker was not named to the All-Star Game — which he said is “always a goal” — when reserves were announced Sunday, but his recent production could land him as an injury replacement for Bryce Harper, who is set to start at first base for the NL but was placed on the 10-day IL on June 28.

Corbin Carroll hit a lead-off home run in the finale against San Diego, his first deep shot since May 7.

After underwhelming with his bat out of the gates this year, the last remaining piece for Carroll has been the power, which he found Sunday to send the game’s fourth pitch nearly 400 feet away the other way.

Starting off with a bang! 💥 pic.twitter.com/R0QTOwwS2H

— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) July 7, 2024

4.70 team ERA

The offensive production that came in droves allowed Arizona to pick up some wins despite a team ERA that ranked one spot inside the top 20 over the six games at 4.70. On the year, the staff’s ERA is 4.65, second-worst in MLB.

In the four wins, the D-backs started Cristian Mena making his MLB debut, Zac Gallen, Brandon Pfaadt and Ryne Nelson. Mena gave up four runs before getting his first out but put it behind him to get nine Dodgers out without giving up another run.

We're still knotted at 0 over in Sacramento, but Cristian Mena just struck out Shohei Ohtani 🥹 pic.twitter.com/HyQ28mHy2Z

— Reno Aces (@Aces) July 4, 2024

Neither Gallen nor Pfaadt (exiting early due to injury) could reach the sixth inning, giving Nelson (one ER in 6.2 IP) the lone quality start in the wins. Nelson also gave up one run in an extended outing in the loss to the Dodgers after manager Torey Lovullo employed Joe Mantiply as an opener.

5 lead changes in the 9th or later

After a recent stretch of 10 games that were decided in blowout fashion, the scales tipped the other way on this road trip with three of the games decided by two or fewer runs.

The difference stood out as single pitches swung momentum dramatically, with five lead changes in the ninth inning or later across the road trip. Each of the series openers — both losses — saw two late lead changes and the D-backs capitalized in a late-game scenario in the first win over the Padres.

D-backs closer Paul Sewald came into the road trip without a blown save on the season. Furthermore, he had a 17-game scoreless streak going that collapsed as he surrendered five runs across two games, managing to get just two outs on 35 pitches in the process.

Sewald’s second blown save was his fourth time pitching in seven days, leaving him unavailable for the last two Padres matchups.

2 minor injuries

Two key Diamondbacks exited games with injuries, between All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte (low back tightness) on Friday and starting pitcher Pfaadt (left ankle contusion) on Saturday.

Marte would be day-to-day beyond Friday, and although Lovullo was hopeful his All-Star would be available off the bench late in games, he hasn’t seen the field since the injury. Lovullo said postgame Sunday he felt “very strongly” that Marte would be back in the lineup Monday.

On Pfaadt, Lovullo is hopeful the team “dodged a bullet” and the pitcher will be fine.

Pfaadt has been the Diamondbacks’ most available pitcher this season, leading the team in starts (18) and quality starts (nine).