Offense shows no signs of slowing
This time, the Diamondbacks did not need any late-inning heroics to extend the best run of the season.
The D-backs, the hottest team in baseball, beat Florida 15-4 Monday for their 15th victory in 17 games. Arizona collected a season-high five home runs, finishing two runs and one hit short of franchise records.
"We're hot. Really hot," said catcher Miguel Montero, who homered and tied a career high with five RBI. "Hitting is contagious. When one or two guys start hitting, everybody starts hitting."
Second baseman Kelly Johnson, returning to form, had two solo home runs, a triple and a double while tying the franchise record for extra-base hits in game. His 13 total bases were two short of the team record set by Shea Hillenbrand, who had three homers, a double and a single on July 7, 2003.
Right fielder Justin Upton had five hits and was a triple short of the cycle, and his two-run homer in the seventh inning landed in Friday's Front Row Grill above the left field bleachers about 450 feet away. All of the left-handed hitters -- Johnson, Montero and Parra -- hit home runs to the opposite field.
"We feel good about ourselves. We're playing well at home," manager Kirk Gibson said. "Everything aligned for us tonight."
The D-backs maintained a half-game lead over San Francisco in the NL West after making major league history in the past month. The D-backs gained seven games in the standings from April 30 to May 30, becoming the first team in major league history to make up that much ground and gain sole possession of a league or division lead in May, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The D-backs trailed Colorado by 6 1/2 games entering the month.
Copyright (C) 2011 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.
-
No comments yet. Be the first to comment.
-
Please login or become a community member to comment.




