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 The Diamondbacks scored all of their runs with two outs to beat the
Texas Rangers 7-4 Wednesday, completing a sweep of the two-game
interleague series and ruining the return to the mound of Texas
starter Matt Harrison.
"I don't know if we're changing anything," said Arizona center
fielder A.J. Pollack, who had the game's first big blow, a three-run
homer in the second inning. "We've just had a couple of breaks, just
kept playing hard, and things have worked out a little better.
"We didn't feel we were a losing team. I think our expectations of
ourselves are very high, and it's well above .500."
Pollock's blast capped a five-run second inning against Harrison,
who was making his first big-league start since last May because of
a back issue that led to spinal fusion surgery.
The homer followed RBI singles from second baseman Cliff Pennington
and shortstop Nick Ahmed.
Catcher Welington Castillo homered off Texas reliever Anthony Bass
in the fifth inning after Pollock opened the inning with a single
off Harrison. Castillo did that despite experiencing arm cramps
because of dehydration.
Arizona reliever Randall Delgado (4-2) was the beneficiary of the
offense. He picked up the win in relief of Jeremy Hellickson, who
only lasted four innings and allowed two runs on six hits.
Hellickson left with a blister on his right thumb. Arizona manager
Chip Hale said he expects the right-hander to be able to make his
next start after the All-Star break.
Diamondbacks closer Brad Ziegler pitched a perfect ninth inning for
his 14th save.
Harrison was charged with six runs on six hits in four-plus innings.
He walked three and struck out one.
"I definitely had some nerves," Harrison said. "It calmed down after
the first inning. The second inning is what killed me. I just didn't
make the pitches when I needed to. I left some off-speed pitches up
in the zone, and they made me pay for it. I got better after that. I
threw a lot of pitches and was behind in a lot of counts, so it
ruined my night."
Texas, which lost its fifth straight overall and its eighth straight
at home, missed out on several chances to score and left 11 runners
on base.
"To leave 11 has really not been the characteristic of this club,
especially during the stretch when we were going well," Texas
manager Jeff Banister said. "I felt like tonight there were some
at-bats that got away from us."
Pollack went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs. Castillo and
Ahmed each had two hits for Arizona.
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Like Pollack, Hale is pleased to see his team get to .500. He also
knows the Diamondbacks have more in the tank.
"It is important to get to .500," Hale said. "It's important to get
into second place, like we are (tied with the San Francisco Giants),
but it doesn't matter till the end of the year."
Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre went 3-for-4 and scored a run.
First baseman Prince Fielder added two hits, and right fielder Shin-Soo
Choo had two RBIs.
After Arizona's early five-run inning, the Rangers trimmed the lead
to 5-2 with two runs in the third against Hellickson, but he escaped
a bases-loaded, no-out situation an inning later without allowing a
run.
The Diamondbacks restored the margin in the fifth on a two-run homer
to right by Castillo.
The Rangers answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI
double by left fielder Josh Hamilton. Choo's sixth-inning sacrifice
fly capped the scoring.
NOTES: Texas 1B Prince Fielder was selected for Monday's Home Run
Derby in Cincinnati. It will be the third time Fielder participates
in the event. He won the championship in 2009 and 2012. ... Rangers
LHP Martin Perez is expected to make another rehab start Sunday, and
he could be ready to join the Texas rotation after the All-Star
break. Perez has made five rehab starts this year in his recovery
from Tommy John surgery. The Rangers won't need a fifth starter
again until July 21. ... Texas LHP Derek Holland (shoulder) is
slated to throw another bullpen session Friday. The plan was for him
to throw Thursday, but it was moved back because the club has an off
day. ... Arizona LHP Oliver Perez retired Fielder on Tuesday night,
which dropped left-handed hitters to 3-for-27 this season against
the former starter.
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